Harry Macdonald Becher
(1855-1893)
HARRY MACDONALD BECHER, A.R.S.M., A.M.I.C.E., M.I.M. M., M. A.I.M.E., F.G.S., the 4th child of Septimus Harding Becher and Augusta Emily, nee Prinsep, was born 29th January 1855 at Simla and baptized in April 1855. His Godfathers were Maj-Gen Arthur Cracroft Becher and James Prinsep and his Godmother was Mrs Macdonald.
'He was sent to England at an early age and was educated at various private schools including Oaklands House School, Woolavington, Midhurst, Sussex (and was there in the 1861 Census aged 6.) At thirteen he was placed at a school in Dresden for three years and in 1871 became a student at the Royal Mining Academy at Freiburg in Saxony. Returning to England in 1873, he went through the regular course at the Royal School of Mines, of which he gained the diploma of Mining and Metallurgical Associate two years later. From October 1875, to October 1878, he was engaged at Pattani in the Malay Peninsular (now part of southern Thailand) as Engineer and Manager to the Galina Mining Company of Singapore, and had control during that time of over 500 men. He was then four years in the employment of the Borneo Company and their Antimony Mines at Busao, where he had charge of more than 1000 men and was engaged in making roads and tramways and in mining and smelting operations generally.
In 1882 Mr Becher visited China and Japan, and subsequently, surveyed and reported upon the coal deposits of Vladivostock Amoor in Eastern Siberia. On completion of that work he spent some little time in England and, after inspecting various mines in the south of Spain, returned in November, 1883, to China to examine and report upon the mineral resources of Korea. He subsequently spent nearly three years in the interior of China inspecting mines and in 1887 started, at Chantung, the first Chinese gold mine and quartz mill. He then reported on gold mines in the north-east of Siam and early in the following year was engaged at the Punjom Pahang gold mines.'
In 1889, he formed Becher, Louis & Co with Henry Louis, H. Hamilton Gunn and with W.F.A. Thomas as Metallurgist. They became the agents of Bentong & Kechau.
His promising career was, however, brought to an untimely end. While engaged on an expedition for the Royal Geographical Society to explore a mountain known as the Gunong Tahan and supposed to be the highest in the Malay Peninsular, he was drowned in the River Tahan.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Geological Society, and a Member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. In June, 1892, he read, at a meeting of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a Paper on Mining in the Malay Peninsular. His frank, manly disposition, gained him many friends, among whom he was extremely popular. He was elected an Associate Member of the I.C.E. 29th May 1883.
The photocopy of an original photograph, left, is a unique one as it not only shows the Staff of his newly-created partnership, Becher, Louis & Company in Singapore in 1890 where it was formed, but it also shows Harry's brother Jack, top right. Harry's partner, Henry Louis, who was the same age as Harry, later had a distinguished career in mining and six years after this photograph was taken he attained the Professorship of Mining at Durham University.
Another person shown is Mr H. Quin who accompanied Harry on his fateful survey of the Gunong Pahan and wrote the official report reproduced verbatim below.
Another person shown is Mr H. Quin who accompanied Harry on his fateful survey of the Gunong Pahan and wrote the official report reproduced verbatim below.
Harry was also a talented draftsman and artist. For a number of years before his accidental death he kept a large format diary with detailed descriptions of his activities as well as pen and ink drawings of his surroundings. I reproduce some of his drawings, left, none have never been published before.
His original drawings and Journal are now in possession of one of his American great nephews in California. He was also a talented photographer and took a number of pictures of local life and landscape most of which are held in the archives of the Royal Geographical Society in London. The following verbatim transcription is of the report sent by Mr Quin to Harry's partner, Mr Henry Louis, describing in detail the circumstances leading up to Harry's drowning. From H. Quin to Mr Louis giving details concerning the death of Mr H.M. Becher. 15th October 1893 It is with deep regret that I now confirm my Telegram to you from Kuala Lipis informing you that Mr Becher was drowned in the Sungei Pahan before dawn on the 15th Septr: during a flood caused by heavy rains in the Hulu. I know that you will have been anxious to hear all the details from me and my first intention was to write to you from Lipis but Clifford advised me to wait till I had gone up to Hulu Pahan again, as it would be more satisfactory to be able to tell you that I had found the body, in which object however, as the details will tell you, I was unsuccessful. Well, I got to Passir Pambang (Kuala Pembling) together with 5 Dyaks and 2 Klings on the 28th August, and, as ordered by Mr Becher, I made a Camp there and awaited his arrival. On the evening of the 1st September Mr Becher arrived with 3 Malays and your boy Ah Meng. After getting these camped on the Pasir, we spent some hours taking observations for Lat: and Long: The next two days were spent in taking observations and hunting for boats. Eventually we got four buah and at daylight on the 4th Septr: we started up the Sungei Pembling accompanied by the Dato of the Kuala, Chi Mat Dris, and his men - our party consisting of 5 Dyaks, 6 Malays, 2 Klings and 1 Chinese and Mr Becher and myself. On the 5th we got to Kuala Pahan and camped for the night on an Island in the Pembling a few yards above the Kuala. On the morning of the 6th we started up stream and after passing over a few unimportant rapids arrived at 10 a.m. at a Ladang (Clearing) which the Penghulu Raja Pembling had just opened up. There we stopped as the Kajangee praus (covered boats) we were in could go no further. After we had unloaded the boats the Penghulu Raja met us and we made arrangements for getting boats and men. Then Chi Mat Dris went bck again and two of our Malays ran away as they were afraid of the Hantu. After some difficulty we got five boats (prau jalor) (“Dugout”) and for of the Penghulu Raja’s men. We then made a regular camp at the Ladang (Clearing) and stored there all our heavy barang; (luggage) in fact everything that was not absolutely necessary was left there in charge of the China boy, a Malay called Hapan, and the Kling man and his wife. About 2 o’clock on the 8th Septr: we set off in these five praus - which were simply dug-outs without Kajang (cover) and almost immediately came to a Rapid where we had to get into the water and haul the boats over. From this onward the Sungei Pahan became more and more a series of rapids and waterfalls increasing in size as we got nearer the Hulu - rendering the progress very difficult. On the 10th Septr: we were compelled to stop and made a small Pondok (Hut) and left there as many articles as we could possibly spare, in order to further lighten the boats and make the transport of the barang through the jungle more easy - (on coming to any great rapid or waterfall, the boats had all to be emptied and a way cut through the jungle and the barang (luggage) taken to the head of the fall). We then continued upstream, the country getting more and more hilly and the difficulties greater. I should have mentioned that when we stopped on the 0th four men (Malays belonging to the Penghulu Raja) ran away as they were frightened of the spirits of the Gunong - we having been cutting down trees and rotan and firing off guns etc - acts which the Penghulu Raja himself had been most emphatic in cautioning us against doing - as they were calculated to make the hantu very angry and send floods down from the Hulu to destroy us. The desertion of these men left us short-handed saving now only 11 men (including Mr Becher and myself) to work five boats. I, being ignorant of steering, got Mr Becher’s compass and did the survey of the River from that point while Mr Becher steered his own boat. On the 13th Septr: towards evening we stopped on a heap of stones forming part of the River bed and scantily vegetated by low bushes growing partly in the water and bounded on one side - the Geographical Right bank - by Rapids in places not more than three feet deep and probably a hundred yards long - and on the other side the Geographical Left bank by smooth deep water which at the Kuala end of the islet joined with the Rapids and formed a Waterfall about 5 or 6 feet in fall. There Mr Becher proposed to make a Pondok and the natives said to his: “Tuan (Master) we cannot make a Pondok here as, if the waters rise, everything will be lost.” Mr Becher said “Pindapa, (No matter) “I must have our Pondok here as I must be able to take observations of the stars at night.” Afterwards, the Natives came and said “Tuan, could we not make the Pondok in the jungle and we could come over through the Rapids at night when you wanted to see the stars” but Mr Becher adhered to his first intention and our Pondok was accordingly made on this islet. The height of the highest point was probably from a four to a four and a half above the level of the water. We slept in our hut that night during which nothing of importance occurred. On the 14th I went up stream a little way and by getting up a hill on the right bank and cutting down many trees - got a splendid view of the Gunong Pahan. I returned and told Mr Becher who went up and took bearings etc and came back (through the jungle and over the Rapids to the Pondok leaving my boat tied up to the banks up stream) highly elated. He said we were now within five or six miles of the Gunong and that the height was not more than 7 or 8,000 feet. According to the An: Bar: Readings we were now about 1200 above sea level. During the evening we tried to take observations for Lat: (the Chronometers having been allowed to run down, we could take no accurate observation for Long: but only succeeded in getting two when the sky got too cloudy to see any more of the stars. About 9, I went to sleep, Mr Becher still sitting up on the chance of getting more stars. About midnight or towards the morning of the 15th I was awakened by voices and found Mr Becher talking to a Malay called Omar who was asking him whether it would not bet better to have everything packed up ready to put into the boats in case the waters rose. Mr Becher turned to me and said “Ah young man you have just woke to the fact that there is a storm raging” and there was, rain falling in torrents with thunder and lightning. I asked Mr Becher whether there was any fear of a spate and he said that probably the waters might rise a bit and to have everything packed up in case we had to run for it. I then went to sleep again. I am told that about one a.m. while I was asleep, one of the Dyaks came and asked Mr Becher if it would not be better to have everything put into the boats or something to that effect but Mr Becher said “Tidapa” (No matter) and that he would wait till the waters did rise. Up to this time the waters had not risen an inch. At, so far as I can judge, about 2.30 or 3 a.m. I was awakened by Mr Becher shaking me saying “Wake up man the waters are rising” and I jumped up and saw the water coming in through the lantai Sides of Hut). While I was packing up my bedding Mr Becher was calling for his prau, (boat) and by this time I had finished and got outside the Pondok with my barang (luggage) on my back the boat came up. I may mention that the Hurricane lamp had got extinguished, by the rain pouring into it, I think. It was pitch dark at the time. I stood in the way by the side of the Pondok near the stern of Mr Becher’s boat but the prow where the man Omar was was not to be seen in the darkness. Draiman, one of the Dyaks, put Mr Becher’s Barang into the boat and Mr Becher got in behind to steer and said to the man in front “Chepat, chepat, bawa pergi darat” (Make haste, make haste, take me to the shore) and they went up stream. Draiman then went away, I believe to get my boat. My boat could not be found as it had been left up stream the afternoon before. In the meantime I stood in the water which was rising fast, being then about 3 feet deep where I stood. I kept yelling for a prau, and after, I should think about 10 minutes, Draiman came back with another boat. Just as it came up, the Pondok was carried away by the torrent although I succeeded in grasping the india rubber roofing which I had before cut from the supports. I put my things, bedding and a small bag into the boa, and got in, the Dyak taking the rubber sheet and putting it in also. We then went up stream. The water was, perhaps, four feet deep where I had stood. Going up stream a little way we got to some bushes growing in mid stream, where we tied up the boat. We found the two remaining boats already fastened there. After sitting there for a short time, Omar, who had been in Mr Becher’s boat, came through the water to the boat I was in and said “Tuan, Prau Tuan Besar sudah. Kara semna barang sudah hilang” (Master, the boat of the big master has upset - all the luggage is lost). I said “Then where’s Mr Becher?” and he said he did not know, that he had been carried by the torrent through the rapids and could see nothing of what had become of Mr Becher or the boat. We then searched for light but unfortunately all the damars (torches) were in my boat upstream. At last we found a small bit of damar, which we broke in two, and lit and searched round for Mr Becher as we thought he would have caught hold of some of the bushes as Omar had done. We could see nothing except the raging torrent all round. One of the Dyaks however got hold of a little dog Ridley had given to Mr Becher which had been in his boat when he mudiked (went up stream). The dog was cut and bleeding and quite exhausted and appeared to have been carried over the rapids. Then I thought that Mr Becher was all right, and had succeeded in making the bank as he was such a good swimmer. So we sat in the darkness in the boats, which threatened every moment to break from the bushes as the torrent was very strong. At last the dawn came and we expected to see Mr Becher waiting on the bank. We searched but there were no signs of him. Then I began to fear that he had been carried down stream and was perhaps seriously hurt. In searching up stream we found my boat quite safe. I had it brought down and unloaded and unloaded two of the other boats piling the barang into the remaining one. We then spent the whole day searching up and down on the banks on both sides for Mr Becher but could not find the slightest traces of him. In the afternoon when the waters had fallen we found many things which had been in Mr Becher’s boat. Next day (16th Septr:) we continued our search but were alas, still unsuccessful. We found his boat some two miles down stream on the first day (15th Septr:). On the 16th we found his Topai some distance from where the boat was found. Most of the heavy things we found in the rapids on the right bank, his gun, your Winchester, the chronometers, the Anervoid Barometers etc. We did not find the slightest trace of anything which he had worn when he got into the boat. His notebook containing the survey of the Pembling and Pahang he had in his pocket, when he was lost and no trace of that was found. Next morning (17th Septr:) I had the four boats loaded and sent them down stream and remained behind myself with Omar and Draiman and we continued our search but still without success. There was then, unfortunately no doubt that Mr Becher was dead, under the circumstances, I thought my best course was to go and consult Mr Clifford as to what I should do. On the 18th we accordingly set off down stream and I went up to Lipis on the night of the 21st. Mr Clifford sent a cable to the Col: Secretary and I went over to Punjom to get a Code book to cable you. Mr Blamey and Mr Grange however, had gone to Raub and I was forced to send an open Telegram. I was anxious to go up to Hulu Pahan again and Mr Clifford said he thought I should have another search although he seemed to think it would be of no use. I then went up to the Pembling and searched the Pahang river up and down accompanied by the Dato Chi Mat Driss but still without result. Since the 15th and on to the day I left the Pahang (29th Septr:) there had every night been rains in the Hulu and the waters would rise every day and go down in the evening. This made our search more difficult and we were unable to get up the Tahan River right to the scene of the disaster but only got within about 2 miles of it. The Dato and his two Malays were very much afraid and I had to insist on their continuing with me. Ultimately before I came down the Tahan again I had to continue my mudiking (going up stream) in an empty boat with two Dyaks and the Dato and myself - the Malays absolutely refusing to go further and when we got, as I have said, to within some two miles of the islaet we came to a waterfall over which the Dyaks themselves said it was impossible to get without many men, and so I had to return. After again going up to Lipis to get boats (large) while the men remained at their Pasir Tambang, I came down stream to Pekang and got to Singapore on the 13th October. (Signed) H. QUIN |