'Coast of Borneo - Mr Brooke's Territory.' [Sarawak, Borneo]

Panoramic three-sheet foldout, the middle section fixed down on page 24 (verso) of Fanshawe's West Indies, North American and Borneo scrapbook (ZBA4855). It is inscribed lower centre in ink by the artist, as title and also across the top identifying locations and compass bearings, left to right: (left fold) SE by E 1/2 E', 'Santubong', 'Entrance to River', 'Satang Island', 'Matang'; the centre fold has no identifications; (right fold) 'Turtle Island', 'Tajong Datoo / WNW'. This is a view looking south of the eastern end of Sarawak (now part of Malaysia), on the north coast of the island of Borneo.

James Brooke (1803-68), an East Indian army officer, had established himself as the celebrated first English Rajah of the province of Sarawak in 1842 under the suzerainty of Sultan Omar Ali of Brunei, following his aid to crush a local rebellion against the latter. Despite many difficulties (and his own death in modest circumstances in England) he was the founder of the state of Sarawak - previously only an area of Borneo - which lasted under his successors for over a century. Fanshawe had a lot to do with him following his part in Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane's destruction of the pirate base in the Malladu (later Marrudu) river, Borneo, as recounted in his 1904 memoir, including making a short trip through dyak country with him in September 1846, recorded in a number of drawings in this scrapbook. Cochrane's squadron, including Fanshawe's brig, 'Cruizer', arrived at Santobong at the entrance to the Sarawak river on 29 July 1845, which is the earliest this drawing might have been done. [PvdM 2/11]

Object Details

ID: ZBA4900
Type: Watercolour
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Fanshawe, Edward Gennys
Date made: 1845; 1845-46 probably 1846
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: 1159mm x 144mm
Parts: West Indies, North American and Borneo scrapbook (Album)
Close

Your Request

If an item is shown as “offsite”, please allow eight days for your order to be processed. For further information, please contact Archive staff:

Email:
Tel: (during Library opening hours)

Click “Continue” below to continue processing your order with the Library team.

Continue