I.] BANGORAN ISLAND. 3 



of snow-white birds, which from their colour and flight could have 

 been none other than the Bornean Nutmeg Pigeon {Myristicivora 

 hicolor). The calm lagoon and the refreshing green of the trees, 

 as well as the promise of abundant sport, tempted us sorely to try 

 our fortune ashore, but time presses even in the Sulu Sea, and we 

 decided on continuing our course. Shortly after midnight we 

 dropped anchor on the south-west side of the island of Cagayan Sulu. 



If the reader consult a map of this part of the world he will 

 notice that the north-eastern part of Borneo presents a more or 

 less straight coast -line, from the eastern end of which the Sulu 

 Archipelago rims like a chain connecting it with the Philippines, 

 while the long island of Palawan and others of lesser note form a 

 similar link at the western extremity. The space thus enclosed is 

 known as the Sulu or Mindoro Sea, within which, in a nearly 

 central position, lies Cagayan Sulu. The island is practically 

 independent, although nominally under the authority of the Sultan 

 of Sulu. We had been led to visit it for several reasons. To the 

 naturalist its isolated position between two countries possessed of 

 such a different fauna as the Philippines and Borneo, offered an 

 interesting problem, wliile of the great beauty of its scenery we 

 had read in Admiral Keppel's " Cruise of the Mmandcr." At the 

 time of his visit, in company with Eajah Brooke, two curious crater- 

 lakes had been discovered on the south coast, but since then, with 

 the exception of a visit of H.M.S. Nassau for surveying purposes 

 in 1871, few vessels seem to have anchored off its shores. 



Shortly after daybreak on the morning after our arrival the 

 Pangerang or chief came on board — a quiet, domestic-looking old 

 man without followers of any kind, with the exception of half a 

 dozen men who had paddled him to the ship. He was dressed in 

 ordinary Malay costume, which is simple and comfortable enough 

 in climates such as these. Pound the waist is worn the sarong, a 

 silk or cotton garment about the size and shape of a small table- 

 cloth, which is simply wound twice round the body and the end 

 tucked in. It falls like a petticoat nearly to the feet. A short 



