The model is being packed for transportation to Sarawak later this week. 175 years ago a party of 500 Illanun raiders ventured up the Sarawak River in 18 boats to attack Royalist, with the rumoured intention of carrying away the ship’s ‘solid gold figurehead’. Having been met by James, and invited to stay for 3 days at Kuching learning about one another’s way of life, the encounter ended with war dances and relative friendliness. Royalist will be displayed at the Gallery later this year, under the theme ‘The Allure of Borneo’.
19 January 2016
