An ylccounl of Borneo. 335 



originally a warlike people; but, as most other empires 

 when arrived at a pitcli of grandeur have generally declined 

 to nearly their original state, from a want of that vigorous 

 and active government which is so essentially necessary in 

 supporting all acquisitions obtained niurelv by force of arms, 

 so appears to be the case w ilh that of Borneo ; and I am 

 the more convinced of it from that entire indolence and in- 

 activity I found them immersed in on my arrival, being to- 

 tally degenerated from that courage and enterprise which 

 seems to have marked tiic character of their roving ances- 

 tors, and deprived of their intlucnce in all their former do- 

 minions situated to the northward of Borneo. 



From what I have Iicen led to say relative to this state, it 

 may be seen they are enervated and unwarlike ; added to 

 which they seem to be envious of the private propertv of 

 each other to a great degree : but, on the other hand, I 

 have found them fair in their dealinsis ; cool and deliberate 

 in their resentments, even where the object is in their 

 power; candid in their intentions; strangers to what we 

 call the world, although not deficient in the innate faculty 

 of tlie understanding, as they seem to have in great perfec- 

 tion such mechanical arts as arcmet\^ith in these countries, 

 particularly in the fownderv of brass cannon, wherein they 

 excel all the Asiatics I have seen on this side, or have heard 

 of on the other. 



That the}' arc constant in their attachments, I think I 

 may say, from their behaviour subsequent to the unliappy 

 capture of Balambangan ; for, although threatened by the 

 Sooloos in case they should supply us, and that at a time 

 when many of their boats were trading in the verge of the 

 Sooloo districts, thev set ihcm at defiance, and generously 

 afforded such assistance as lay in their power. 



AVith respect to the Idaan, or Mooroots, as they arc called 

 here, I cannot give anv account of their disposition ; but, 

 from what I have heard from the Borncyans, they are aban- 

 doned idolatnrs : one of their tenets, so strangely inhuman, 

 I cannot pass unnoticed, which is, lliat their future interest 

 tlepends up-on the number of their fellow-creatures they may 

 have killed in any en<i-agemcn.t or common disputes, and 

 count their degrees of happiness hereafter to depend ui\ the 

 number of human skulls in their possession ; from which, 

 and the wild disorderly life they lead, unrestrained by any 

 bopd of civil society, we ought not to be surprised if they 

 are of a cruel and vindictive disposition. 'J'hey are as yet 

 near to a state of nature, but have a great share of innate 

 cunning ; of which I had u si liking ins"tauce in the following 



eircuin^tance : 



