Kawang Amok

In 1885, two years after the Puroh Expedition, the Commandant of the British North Borneo Constabulary, Alexander Mortier de Fontaine, had received word that a notorious cattle rustler from the Crocker Range named Kandurong was hiding-out in the village of Kawang. To bring him to justice, he led a punitive expedition with a detachment of the Constabulary, arriving in the village on 10 May 1885. Joining De Fontaine at the head of the column were G. L. Davies, Dr. Manson Fraser, R. M. Little and J. E. G. Wheatley.^[3]

They had originally marched with a contingent of Bajau tribesmen, but a disagreement arose over the handling of baggage. Traditionally, Chinese men had been used as "baggage coolies," but there were not enough of them on this mission, and the Bajau considered the work beneath them. The British asked for an additional thirty men to handle the baggage, but the Bajau refused.^[3]

Later, Dusun baggage handlers arrived in the town, and accused the Bajau of riding one of their own stolen buffalo. They provided evidence to the Resident, who punished the thieves. By 12 May, the situation surrounding the shortage of baggage handlers had not been resolved, and it was decided to terminate the mission until more could be found.^[3]

Later that day, 12 May 1885, after the police were dismissed for the day, several members of the Constabulary were chatting in a group under a tree. Two Bajau men walked up to the group and entered into the conversation. One of these men pulled a gun and shot Dr. Fraser in the face.^[3]

It was later determined that this was a premeditated ambush, and that the leader of this group was a cattle rustler and native of Kinarut named Orang Kawa Awang, an agent of Pangeran Roup. Later intelligence revealed that he was most likely following orders from a larger organisation somewhere in Brunei.^[4]

A battle ensued between the Bajau and the Constabulary. At the end of the battle, around a dozen Bajau were killed. From the Constabulary, Commandant A. M. de Fontaine, Dr. Fraser, Jemadhar Esa Singh, Sergeant Major Narnin Singh, and Private Ganda Singh were all killed.^[3]

The expedition against Kandurong was postponed until 1888, when a new expedition was launched under Commandant R. D. Beeston, J. E. G. Wheatley and J. G. G. Wheatley.^[3]