my mind, at all hazards, to try and return as soon as
possible, and about a month afterwards I was on my
way down the river to Sandakan, prostrated with the
jungle fever. I then found that the tale was only too
true.”
ing chapter) has since been .murdered. The story is told in tho
North Borneo Herald of September 1st, 1884
“ While a party, including the Governor, the Resident and others
was being hospitably entertainod at dinner by Captain Hamlin on
board the s.s. Amatista of Hongkong, a sudden check was given to
the prevailing gaiety by the arrival on board of one of the crew ot a
boat which had, a few weeks before, left Sandakan, taking- ergean
Hassan back to his post at Pinungah in the Upper Kinabatangan
The lad reported that Sergeant Hassan had found fault with and
struck one of the men called Tali, who cried and merely said, Tnma
kasih, Bapa Hassan.’- * Thank you, father Hassan. During the
nfght, however, he seized his rifle, and aided by two others of the
crew, shot Hassan and Limbang, who had gone to his assistance, and
decamped, the narrator of the sad incident having secured his own
safety by taking to the water and making for the jungle. I t is
known that Sergeant Hassan had $300 of his own with him besides
other property, and it is probable, therefore, that cupidity was
added to the thirst for revenge so often found m Malays and caused
the perpetration of the crime. Hone of the men concerned are natives
of the river, nor indeed of North Borneo, so that the sad event has no
political significance whatever. Sergeant Hassan had been for many
months in charge of the Upper Kinabatangan district and had acquired
most valuable information concerning the resources of that
r i c h province, especially as to certain valuable bird-nests caves
Unfortunately, as he could not write, this is all lost with him, and
this loss will be much felt by Mr. D. D. Daly, who is leading an expedition
of exploration, and who has relied to a great extent ,on the
. co-operation of the sergeant, who was a man of very considerable intelligence.
A reward of $100 has been offered by the Government
for the apprehension of the murderers. [The assassins were eventually
captured and punished ]
IV.
“ You said Frank was reticent as to his mission on
the SegamaP”
“ Yes, but hopeful, evidently.”
“ Did he speak of a possible gold find ? ”
“ He did not talk much of the business of his
expedition; he examined the banks of the river and
the bed whenever he could with great care, and regretted
that it was the rainy season. He spoke once of the
great mineral promise of the Kina Balu and Kmoram
country. He talked more of London than of Borneo,
though he spoke of an intended visit to Java and Siam.
I heard from others more of his expeditions than from
himself; but he said a little opium-pipe that he bought
from the Tungara men nearly cost him his life. He
was remarkably cool-headed, I thought, and brave, and
his men loved him. Passing one of the rapids, I saw
his boat slue round towards a jutting rock. I saw him
bend down and speak to one of his men, the strongest
and biggest of them. The man leaped from the boat,
clung to the rock, and received the shock of the collision
with his feet, and saved the boat. He had been u p s e t.
himself more than once or twice on his river expeditions.
You see, nobody knew what there was to encounter in
the way of currents, cataracts, floating timber, snags.”
“ How was he dressed ? ”
“ In the boat he wore a light shirt, trousers, and
boots. Occasionally when resting he wore only a
sarong; but he rarely rested ; he worked too hard.
He had an English cricketing cap on his head ; but
when I caught my first glimpse of him coming down
the river h e . was bareheaded, and all in white, so