Residency of the North-West Coast qf Borneo. 125 



ninety carats are less than the actual produce of the period in 

 question. The number of persons employed during it is un- 

 known, so that no idea can be formed of the profit of mining 

 speculations. The deliveries of 1825 and 1826 were less than 

 that of 1824, and will be still less this year, government not ad- 

 vancing to an equal extent, in consequence partly of an out- 

 standing balance against the miners, and partly to the disin- 

 clination of the latter to receive copper money. Some natives 

 are of opinion that the veins are not so productive as in former 

 times; others, making due allowance for the decrease occasioned 

 by the measures of government, say that they'are not worked 

 with equal zeal. 



Gold is found in almost every part of the Residency, also 

 in the Areng strata, and takes many names, being invariably 

 designated by the name of the place where it is procured. The 

 gold of Sintang, Sangao, and Landak, are about nine touch ; 

 of Muntuhari about eight and a half; that of Mandor a shade 

 below eight ; these are places under Pontianak ; that found at 

 Mantradu under Mompawa is about eight touch ; and under 

 Sambas gold of nine touch is found ; at Sapan of eight and a 

 half at Larak ; of eight, at Siminis ; * and of seven and a half 

 at Salakao. The mines are worked in a similar manner to 

 those already described, and the Areng cleaned in the dulan, 

 in the centre of which the gold, from its greater gravity, is co- 

 lected. There are no data for ascertaining the amount pro- 

 duced (Go) or the number of persons employed. The price 

 at the principal ports may be taken at about two dollars and 

 ninety cents per touch ; or say, twenty-six Spanish dollars for 

 Sintang gold of nine touch. The Sultaun of Sambas has in 

 his possession a lump weighing twelve and a half bung kals, 

 and says he has seen some which weighed twenty-five. 



Iron is principally procured from Jelle, in the interior of 

 Matan, in sufficient quantities to form an article of export, 

 when it is known by the name of Bissi Ikat, from the manner 

 in which it is made up. Ten pieces, each piece about eight or 

 nine inches long, one and a-half broad, and half an inch thick, 

 form a small bundle, and five of these a large one, which weighs 



• There is here some error in the original which we cannot correct. — Ed. 



