334 An Accnunt of Borneo. 



s. point of securing to tliem the exxlusive trade of that ar- 

 ticle, to be paid for in merchandize at such rates as might 

 iiidcmnitV them at present in the inconvenience of the high 

 price, to the end that it might divert tlie channel of the 

 junk trade from tliis to Balambangan, (their grand induce- 

 ment for coming liere being thus removed,) which, toge- 

 ther with my havinc; bound the state to obhgc all their de- 

 pendents to make plantations, whereby the quantity would 

 cot onlv be greatlv incrc-ascd, but, from their having no 

 other purchasers, the companv would be enabled to fix such 

 prices as wmdd give ample encouragement to the planters, 

 and soon reimburse the expenses which were necessitated 

 to be borne at the beginning of the undertaking; and the 

 ;morc so, as in consequence of their industry, becoming 

 yearly richer, thcv W(nild find our protection but the more 

 indispcn-^ably necessary. 



Thinos being fixed on this basis, the Engli;-hman and the 

 Bornevan becoming thus nuituallv necessary to each other, 

 I flattered mvself the event might have produced a solid 

 and real conmiercial advantage as well to the nation as to 

 the companv; and the more so, as from the great probabi- 

 lity of the hill people being soon induced also to plant, who, 

 bv receiving cloth as the price of their industry, would na- 

 turally increase the consumption, and render our manufac- 

 tures with them a necessary of life ; these being by far the 

 most numerous, and the aborigines of the island : another 

 advantage accruing therefrom is, that having once connected 

 these people in interest with the company, and fajiiiliarized 

 them to our customs, the inhabitants of the sea coast would 

 be unable, were thev inclined, to obstruct or molest the 

 prosi-cution of the company's views. These were the mo- 

 tives which IJrst induced me to secure to the company, in 

 the treaty with tlie f'ornevans, the exclusive t»ade to the 

 pepper, althoLigh at that time on seeminglv disadvantageous 

 terms : Ijow far 1 mav have acted with propriety, remains 

 with the company to determine. 



I now come to say something of the characteristics of 

 the different sects of the inhabitants. 



The Bornevans who inhabit the sea coast arc Maboiti- 

 medans, and, as thcv sav., are originally an emigration from 

 Jehote, but arc ignorant of the chronologv : they extended 

 their dominions over these coasts, Mawan, Manila, and 

 other parts of the Philipinas ; and even Sooloo, as Mr. Dal- 

 n'lnplc observes, was formerly a part of this empire. From 

 these extensive conquests, and the tmconnccted traditions 

 I have had from thciii, I am inclined to think they were 



originally 



