1^8 Defcripiiojr of ibe IJJjnd of Borneo. 



the. fame time uncertain, becaufe this part of the country 

 19 inhabited by fcveral difcoutented princes who live by 

 piracy. 



Borneo is governed bv a fnltan, who has his refidence in 

 this place, where a confiderablc trade is carried on with the 

 produetions of the country, which are pearls, birds-nefts, 

 wax, flaves, rice, and camphor. The camphor of this ifland 

 is confidered as the beft, and is preferred even to that of 

 Sumatra. Houtynn, a phyiician of Amllerdam, to whom 

 natural hiftory is fo much indebted, and who, in the Tranf- 

 aft ions of the Society of Haarlem *, has given a defcription 

 with figures of the camphor- tree from the dried branches, 

 tranfmitted to him by a member of the Society of the Arts 

 and Sciences at Batavia, fays : " The camphor of Borneo 

 and Sumatra is produced by a tree with oval, fliarp-pointcd 

 leaves and large tulip-like flowers. By thefe marks it is dif- 

 tinguiflied both from the camphor-tree of Japan, and from 

 the other fpecics of the laurel. A hundred weight of the' 

 camphor of Borneo cofts 3000, and one of that of Sumatra 

 3000 rix-doliars, but the Japancfc cofts fcarccly fifty : the 

 laft, however, is much more volatile than the other kinds." 

 Of the camphor of Borneo about 4375 pounds are exported 

 every year. The articles imported are tin, cotton cloth, and 

 all the produftions of Java except rice, which is cultivated 

 .here in great abundance. 



The fultan of Borneo lives in great ftate, and is more 

 feared by his fub;c6ls than that of Banjer; but at the fame 

 time, according to the account of fome Engliflimen who 

 frequent this part of the coatt with fmall vefl'els, and carry 

 hither cotton cloth, vv-hich they exchange for pepper, he is 

 more conftant in his friendfliip and truer to his engagements. 



Between Borneo and Tidor lie the two fmall kingdoms 

 of Balangan and Baraoou, where birds-nefls, wax, Sec. are 

 exchanged for Javancfe productions and a fort of coarfe 

 cotton clrfh. Next conies Dannuar, which is fubjeft to a 

 Dato called P-eginda; and a little further, Sammunta, under 

 Dato Tomongong; and Coltee, which is governed by a fultan 

 named Adgie Umut. Between the two laft there are a 



* Vol. XXI. 



' great 



