52 



M A L A VAX ISLES. 



given tolerable tlefcriptiohs of feveral, in the often cited old book 

 publiflied by Nicholas, from p. 39 to p. 42, accompanied with 

 plates as expreflive as could be cut on wood. 

 Borneo. The vatl illand oi Borneo is divided from the northern coait 



of Java by a found between two and three hundred leagues in 

 breadth. According to M. UAnviUe's Icale, the ifhnd is in length 

 from fouth to north near three hundred leagues, and its greateft 

 breadth two hundred; the circumference is eflimaled at twcr 

 thoufand miles; fo that it may juftly be confidered as the 

 greateft ifland in the world. It is of a pyriform Ihape ; its (hores 

 rude, with proiecling promontories, and is divided by the equator 

 into two unequal portions. The far greater part of Borneo 

 next to tlie fea, efpeciaily the northern, confifts of fwaraps, co- 

 vered with foreils of trees of numberlels fpecies and great iizes, 

 which penetrate for fcores of miles towards the centre of the 

 illand. Thefe unliable muddy flats are di\-ided by rivers, which 

 branch into multitudes of canals, and are the only roads into the 

 interior parts. Lofty mountains are faid to rife in the middle of 

 the illand ; manv are volcanic, and often occafion tremendous 

 earthquakes. 



This great illand is little known, except merely on the coaiis, 

 and even thofe remain yet fo imperfeiflly explored, that lefs can 

 be faid of it than of many fmaller tracts. So unliable are the 

 fwampy out-lkirts, that in the attempts to ei^blilh fa^ftories, the 

 Europeans have been obliged to build them on piles driven into 

 the ground ; or, after the manner of the country, to erecl in 

 the rivers their houfes on poll?, fixed to floats formed of bodies 

 of great trees, and thofe moored by rattans to thole growing on 

 lliore, to prevent their being carried away by the floods. In 

 fuch 



