BORNEO. 



BORNEO. 



Sea Dyaks). The foreign settlers are Malays. Javanese, Bugis, 

 Macassars, Chinese, and a few Arabians. 



All the inhabitants, with the exception of the Chinese and Arabians, 

 belong to one race, which is called the Malay race. Their persons are 

 short, squat, and robust. The medium height of the meu is about 

 5 feet 2 inches, of the women 4 feut 11 inches. Their lower limbs 

 are large and heavy, and their arms rather fleshy than muscular. The 

 face is of a round form, the mouth wide, the chin somewhat square, 

 the cheek-bones are prominent, and the cheek consequently rather 

 hollow; the nose is short and small, never prominent, but never 

 flat; the eyes are small, and always black; the complexion is generally 

 brown, but varies a little in the different tribes, the Dyaks inhabiting 

 the interior of the island being fairer than those of the coast ; the 

 hair is long, lank, harsh, and always black. The languages of the 

 different aboriginal tribes differ widely from one another, and they 

 have it in said no literature. 



The aboriginal tribes have not attained a high degree of civilisation. 

 Agriculture however seems generally diffused among them, as well as 

 the most necessary arts of life. They cultivate chiefly rice, and 

 collect gold-dust and diamonds. They trade also in rattans, gutta- 

 percha, and other products of their forests. Their dress consists only 

 of a small wrapper round th^ir loins. Their houses are wooden 

 building*, often large enough to contain upwards of 100 persona. In 

 the construction of their boats and some of their utensils they display 

 considerable ingenuity. These tribes though otherwise mild and 

 simple have been accused of cannibalism. Some who live on the 

 coast have embraced the Mohammedan religion, but the greater part 

 are idolaters. Pol_. gamy i.-. in general use among those who are able 

 to maintain many wives and large families. A portion of the 

 Biajoos live constantly on the sea in small covered boats, and shift to 

 leeward from island to island with the variations of the monsoons. 

 Their fishing-boats, in which they live with their whole families, are of 

 about five tons burden, and their principal occupation is the catching 

 of sea-slugs, for which they frequently dive in seven or eight 

 fathoms water. 



The number of the Chinese settlers is considerable ; and in Samba* 

 especially they have of late years gained considerable influence by 

 means of their secret societies, so as to embarrass the Dutch govern- 

 ment considerably. In every part of the island where trade or indus- 

 try is rewarded by security of life aud property, some Chinese families 

 are to be found. They follow the occupations of merchants, mecha- 

 nics, and labourers ; cultivate the ground, distil arrack, make sugar, 

 gearch for gold-dust, and trade to the interior aa well as on the coast. 

 They are not rich, being too fond of good living, and addicted to 

 gambling, opium, and merry-making. 



The Bugis, who come from the island of Celebes, are remarkable 

 among the nations of Southern Asia for their industry and activity. 

 They chiefly apply themselves to trade, to the manufacture of Bugis 

 cloth, and the working of raw silk into cloth. Many of them become 

 comparatively wealthy, although they are generally poor when they 

 arrive, but they are extremely economical and even penurious in their 

 manner of living. Those Bugis are very active seamen, and visit all 

 the islands and countries round Borneo, in their light, cheaply-built, 

 but often richly-freighted proas, many of which frequent the harbour 

 of Singapore. 



The Malays are the most numerous of the foreign settlers. They 

 have formed a great number of small states along the coast, and sub- 

 jected the Dyaks, whom they often treat with great cruelty. The 

 interior of the country and portions of the coast also are in possession 

 of the Dyaks. 



The Dutch have possession of about one-half of the coast, and have 

 extended their dominion far inland in some places, so that the rich 

 gold and diamond-mines are in their possession. All the Dutch estab- 

 lishments are on the southern and western coast, and they govern 

 the territories of the sovereigns of Bangennaosin, Succadana, Pon- 

 tianak, Mampava, Sambas, and Matan, and of some others farther 

 hilii'id. This great tract of country is governed by three Residents, 

 established at liangermossin, Pontianak, and Sambas, with two subor- 

 dinate residences at Mampava and Landak. Around Sambas the area 

 of the Dutch territory is given at 5269 square miles, with a popula- 

 tion of 46,819 in 1849 ; the territory of Bangermassin is 54,203 square 

 with 304,076 inhabitants ; and Pontianak, in the south-west, 

 area 138,973 square miles, population 311,100. 



In the Dutch territories there are three places of considerable trade, 

 Sambas, Bangermasmn, and Pontianak. Gold is found at aix different 

 places, at Ombnk, Sanga, Larak, Banjar-laut, Sambas, Pontianak, and 

 Montradak. The metal is found in alluvial deposits, which are chan- 

 nelled by the beds of numerous rivers, not usually above five or six 

 feet from the surface. The principal diamond-mines are at a place 

 called Landak, whence the diamonds of Born are called Landak 

 The mines, which are entered by perpendicular and lateral 

 irked by the Dyaks, but the gold-mines are mostly worked 



by t.liB Chinese. The Bugis resident merchants are the great dealers 

 in ilinmond*. 



i lie north-east of the Dutch territories and along the north- 

 western coast, extends the kingdom of Borneo Proper, which extends 

 from Cup.: I it ii to the north of the river Kimanis. It contains a 

 let-coast of between 00 and 700 mile*, and extends from 100 to 150 



miles towards the interior of the island. The capital is Brane". The 

 intercourse between Borneo Proper and Singapore is considerable. 

 From Sadong, on the western frontier, great quantities of anti- 

 mony are brought to Singapore. The mountain which contains the 

 antimony is about one day's journey from the coast. The sultan 

 and a considerable portion of the population are Malays. 



Borneo Proper has recently been the scene of a remarkable enter- 

 prise, which has brought this part of the island prominently before the 

 world. Mr. James Brooke, a gentleman of independent station, sailed 

 from England in 1838, in hia own yacht ' The Royalist," to investigate 

 the islands in the Eastern Archipelago. With a crew of about 20 men, 

 he arrived at Singapore in June, and at the coast of Borneo in August. 

 He found that the part of the island at which he touched was 

 governed by a raja, who was engaged in the province of Sarawak in 

 the suppression of pirates. Mr. Brooke sailed up the river to Kuching, 

 the capital of Sarawak, and being kindly received he got leave to 

 explore much of the country, and discovered the mineral riches which 

 it contains. Mr. Brooke returned to Singapore in the spring of 1840, 

 but made another voyage to Borneo in August of the same year. He 

 assisted the raja in his wars, and was promised the government of 

 Sarawak, and in September 1841 he was installed in due form ' Raja 

 of Sarawak.' Mr. Brooke, who built himself a house at Sarawak, and 

 established a sort of court there, exerted all his influence to suppress 

 piracy on the coast. In July 1842 he made a formal state-visit to the 

 aultan, at the capital of Borneo, to endeavour to establish friendly 

 relations with England. In the early part of 1843 Mr. Brooke went to 

 Singapore, and shortly afterwards returned in the Dido, commanded 

 by Captain Keppel, who was commissioned to assist in suppressing 

 piracy in those seas. In June a strong party, composed of Europeans 

 and natives, set out from Sarawak into the interior, and put down a 

 formidable nest of plundering tribes. Captain Keppel soon after left 

 Borneo for China ; but on his return in July 1844 another expedition 

 wag led against hostile inland tribes, which was as usual successful. 

 Kuppel returned to England ; but Sir Edward Belcher assisted in the 

 proceedings at Sarawak ; and Mr. Brooke received the appointment of 

 agent for the British government in Borneo, in which character he 

 had two interviews with the sultan of Borneo in the city of Brime 1 , 

 with a view to conclude a treaty of peace and commerce between 

 the two countries. In the autumn of 1845 Mr. Brooke aided the 

 government officers in fixing on some spot as the location for 

 a colony or British settlement off the coast of Borneo. After 

 a careful examination of the small islands of Labuan and Balam- 

 bangan, Mr. Brooke fixed on the former as presenting the greatest 

 advantages. In the spring of 1846 a serious reverse occurred. 

 Some of the discontented chiefs induced the sultan to plot mischief 

 against the English ; two native rajas who had from the first been 

 favourable to Mr. Brooke were murdered, and a plan was formed to 

 poison Mr. Brooke himself. But prompt measures were taken : a 

 squadron was sent from Singapore, and the hostile proceedings were 

 put down. In 1847 Mr. Brooke went to England, where he was 

 knighted, and had his title of ' Raja ' recognised by the British 

 government. He returned to Borneo as Governor of Labuan, and 

 agent or representative of England at Borneo. On the night 

 of July 31, 1849, the raja with a fleet of Sarawak prahus, and 

 assisted by her Majesty's ship Royalist, the East India Company's 

 steamer Nemesis, aud three boats of her Majesty's ship Albatross, 

 attacked and annihilated a fleet of 150 Dyak aud Malay prahus and 

 bangkongs at the mouth of the Serebas River. The prahus were 

 manned by from 30 to 70 men each, who were chiefly Dyaks of the 

 Serebas and Sakarran, with a few Malay chiefs among them ; about 

 800 are said to have been killed ; many were drowned in their swamped 

 prahus, and only 2500 are said to have escaped to the jungle. The 

 raja's boats after this action ascended the river and destroyed the 

 villages along the Serebas. This fearful chastisement was inflicted 

 upon these people, according to Raja Brooke, because they were 

 pirates, and head-money was paid to those concerned hi the action ; 

 but there are not wanting those who stoutly maintain that they were 

 ' inoffensive traders,' and that the expedition wag undertaken by the 

 raja from ambitious personal motives. 



The researches of the lat eight years have shown that Borneo, at 

 least in the province of Sarawak, is one of the richest and most fertile 

 countries of the globe. Among the minerals are diamonds, gold, 

 antimony, tin, iron, copper, lead, and coal ; while the soil is of such 

 various kinds, that it will grow almost every variety of vegetable 

 produce. [SARAWAK.] 



The commercial intercourse of Borneo with China is much more 

 extensive than with Europe. Edible swallows'-nests, sea-slugs, aquila- 

 woods, and camphor are exported to Canton, Ainoy, Ningpo, and 

 Shanghae. The Dutch carry on a most active commerce, exporting 

 pepper, gold, and other products. The commercial intercourse of the 

 west coast of Borneo, and more particularly of Borneo Proper and 

 Sarawak with Singapore, has of late years become very considerable. 



(Dr. Ley den, Description of Borneo in the Aiiatic Journal; Craw- 

 furd, Hi&tvrtj of tltc. Indian Arf:liii>tl<i<jo ; Asiatic Journal ; Stavorinus, 

 Voyayes; Captain Keppel, K.rjudition to Borneo and Indian Archi- 

 pelago; Petermnnn, Map of Borneo, London, 1851.) 



BORNEO (properly linmt), the capital of the kingdom of Borneo 

 Proper, in tho north-west of thu island of Borneo, is situated in 4" 56' 



