Seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo; a ... - Sabrizain.org

MY SCHOOL IN THE JUNGLE 115
order in the Saribas. Loiyo and Nanang, two other
brothers, were at one time followers of Rentap, who held
out so long against the Sarawak Government, and made
Sadok Mountain, between the Saribas and the Skrang
Rivers, his headquarters. The Dyaks often relate with
keen interest the story of those ancient days when
Rentap 's stronghold, high up on Sadok Mountain, with
precipitous approaches on every side, was considered
impregnable. Many an expedition did the Government
lead against Rentap, but to no purpose. Rentap, who
was called by his followers the " Inland Rajah," and was
the leader of the opposition to the rule of the Rajah of
Sarawak, was supported by a large force of disaffected
Saribas and Skrang Dyaks, and was not to be easily
beaten.
In 1861, however, Rentap was losing his popularity,
and a great many of his followers had deserted him. They
could not endure the violence and wilfulness of their
leader, and they saw that the Dyaks who had submitted
to Rajah Brooke's Government were happy and flourish-
ing. Moreover, Rentap had offended their Dyak prejudices.
He had discarded his old wife, and married one
of the girls he had taken captive, and called her " the
Ranee of Sadok." This was contrary to all Dyak custom,
and was greatly resented by his followers. In that year
Loiyo and Nanang, two of Rentap's leading warriors,
and their adherents, made their submission to Rajah
Brooke. They had to give security
to the amount of
forty valuable jars (worth about £500), which were to be
retained for three years, and then returned to their owners
should they remain loyal.
The next expedition led by the Government succeeded
in defeating Rentap. When he found that his stronghold