CHAPTER VIII. 



A CITY OF LAKE DWELLINGS. 



Brunei the Capital — Market Chinese traders — Gun foundry — The Istana 

 — Weak government — The Sultan Moumein — Native jewelry — 

 Native smithy — Public executions — Punishment for robbery — Sago 

 factories — Inter-marriage — Morality — Old Mission Church — Boat 

 journey inland— Murut hospitality — Canoe travel — Forest travel — 

 New aroids — Native insects — Day flying Moths — Kiver travel by 

 moonlight — Sago-washing station. 



Brunei, the capital of Borneo and the seat of the 

 government, is a water-city of about twenty thousand 

 inhabitants. The palm-thatched houses of which it for 

 the most part consists, are built on piles so as to be 

 above the river at high tide. From one of the adjacent 

 low hills the view of this " Venice of the East " is a most 

 novel one — indeed, unique in its way ; and although the 

 town is nearly fifteen miles from the mouth of the river, 

 yet a moderate-sized gunboat can anchor in the broad 

 water-way in the very centre of the city, and within a 

 few yards of the Sultan's Istana. There is a rather 

 awkward bar at the entrance to the river. A trading 

 steamer from Singapore calls here once a month to bring 

 letters and goods for the Sultan and a few Chinese 

 merchants, and to take back sago, which is the main 

 export. In some cases the blocks of houses are connected 

 by bridges formed of long palm stems lashed together 

 with rattans ; but, as a rule, all general communication 



M 



