Sir James Brooke found the Dyaks oppressed and ground down by the most cruel tyranny.

They were cheated by the Malay traders and robbed by the Malay chiefs.

Their wives and children were often captured and sold into slavery, and hostile tribes purchased permission from their cruel rulers to plunder, enslave, and murder them.

Anything like justice or redress for these injuries was utterly unattainable.

From the time Sir James obtained possession of the country, all this was stopped.