Here is an account of the battle between Brooke forces and the pirates of the Skrang river valley in 1844
This newspaper article, describes from the Brooke point of view, the expedition up the Sakarran River to capture Seriff Sahib the leader of a group of Dayaks thought to be pirates. The first part relates who the pirates were, while the second part tells of the battle. Efforts to find the author or other bibliographic information has proved fruitless.
The pirates on the coast of Borneo may be classed into those who make long voyages in large, heavily armed prahus. (a prahus is a traditional boat of the Malay archipelago. It can be small to large and is usually narrow) The large prahus were usually manned by a group of people from the south Philippines called the Illanuns.
The second type of pirates were the ones in Dayak fleets who made excursions in lighter prahus and used surprise to capture the people used as slaves.
The third group were the half-breed Arab Seriff. (a Seriff is an Arab who claims lineage from the Prophet Muhammed) The Seriffs were usually a nucleus where roving bands of pirates came to sell their slaves and to acquire food, gunpowder and arms for future pirate endeavours. They were to repay the Seriffs with slaves captured on their raids. Five slaves were exchanged for every 100 rupees of goods, an exorbitant rate of exchange.
The Illanun carried on their boats brass pieces capable of firing a three pound ball as well as spears, swords, kris and long poles with barbed hooks where they could hook their prey.
The cruising grounds of these pirates were very extensive. They would first sail to Borneo, then to the Celebes and in the other direction meet off Tringano (Trengganu), Calantan (Kelantan) and Patini (south Thailand). Gillolo (the island of Halmahera) and the Moluccas, as well as Papua, lie in easy range.
The pirates hung around the island of Labuan (off the coast of Borneo) and captured large numbers of people from Borneo who were trading or fishing. The people from Borneo called the easterly wind the pirate wind. They commence cruising the northwest coast about the middle of March and leave at the end of November.
Among the Dayaks, the tribes of Saribas and Skrang whose rivers are situated between Tanjong Sipang and Tanjong Sirak are powerful communities and dreadful pirates who ravage the coast in large fleets, and who murder and rob indiscriminately. The tribe Skrang were ruled over by Seriff Sahib. In 1844, it was decided by James Brooke and Captain Keppel of HMS Dido to send a force to root out Seriff Sahib.
The expedition consisted of HMS Dido. The pinnace of the Dido was a small-armed boat which was used to forge a head of HMS Dido and to fight in the rivers. Two cutters were used to transport men and supplies up river and were armed with a small cannon or swivel gun used for fighting pirates. A gig, which was a small light boat usually rowed by six men and meant for speed in transporting the Captain. This gig was from HMS Phlegethon. The Jolly Bachelor, a ship owned by James Brookes was also part of the expedition.
Included in this menagerie was a division of light native boats commanded by Patinggi Ali. They were used as a reconnoitring party with our leading boats, while the rest were kept in reserve at the rear of the expedition.
A reconnoitring party was used to proceed of the expedition to survey the channels, locate enemy positions and assess the strength i.e. number of boats, how many men and possible landing spots for the men of the expedition.
The Battle
This account was reported by “a participator” aboard one of the cutters of HMS Dido.
On the 17th of May, the pinnace of HMS Dido, her two cutters, the gig and James Brookes’ the Jolly Roger started at daylight up the Sakarran River. A small division of light native boats commanded by Patingii Ali led the expedition.
Up to the morning of the 21st, the expedition met with little or no opposition. The banks of the river contained gardens with tropical plants. As we advanced toward Karangan, the capital, the scenery changed to a wilder and more picaresque appearance with high steep points with foliage over hanging the river. At other times, we had to pass through narrow gorges so dark and dismal we doubted we could find passage through them.
We were ten or twelve miles from their capital, and it was agreed that Patinggi Ali was to proceed with his small force to reconnitor up river. I (the author) was allowed to proceed with Patinggini Ali in his boat.
We proceed up river for three or so miles, and in a bend in the river we found ourselves in the middle of the enemy. They launched rafts to prevent our retreat and six war prahus, containing about 100 men each, faced us with three on each side of the river. On the banks of the river, people of all sorts flung spears at us.
Patinggi Ali led his men in dropping their oars and grabbing a weapon. Three minutes later brought us to close action. Our force reserved their fire until the enemy prahus almost touched our boats. We discharged our weapons, but the enemy, strong in numbers, continued the assault upon us. We fired again, but the sheer numbers of the enemy replaced those who had fallen in the river.
They then dashed among us, causing us to become separated from our other boats. The hand-to-hand fighting resulted in a fight where all hope seemed lost. The boat where I (the author) fought was opposed by the largest prahus and as the enemy dropped they were replaced by others.
It became at last a scene of carnage and butchery. Patinggi Ali lay in the bottom of his boat shot through the lungs and vomiting blood as he tried to rally his troops. Steward failed just as badly, cut down by a huge Dayak. He (the huge Dayak) came after me, (the author)and I fired a pistol I held in reserve, and he fell backwards onto the shoulder of one of his friends. His wound caused much confusion among his friends, so I lowered myself into the river, diving under the thickly clustered boats. I made for the bamboo raft where my friends were discharging their guns. How I got back to the pinnace I know not but found myself among friends being nursed by a surgeon.
From here the account is taken over by Captain Keppel of HMS Dido. You can google his diary.
Tom McLaughlin for BorneoHistory.net