From 1852 to 1856 he worked for McEwan and Company trading primarily in sago and antimony. In 1856, the BCL was formed and Helms was selected by the directors to be the company's manager in Sarawak, although Rajah Brooke favored Spenser St. John. His staff originally consisted of a Chinese Cook and a native clerk named Abdullah.Pioneering in the Far East, p. 129-131 Helms spent much time exploring the Sarawak interior in search of minerals, and vividly describes the Borneo rivers, jungles, and natives he encountered in his book Pioneering in the Far East, including many illustrations.Pioneering in the Far East, p. 129-131
