v.] ELOPURA. 89 



was as imtidy as any I have ever seen ; but it was most certainly 

 busy.^ 



Thanks to the exertions of the late Sir Walter Medhurst, the 

 Immigration Commissioner in Hongkong, Chinese from that city 

 and Singapore reached the new country in great numbers. At 

 the beginning of 1882 the population of Elopura was not more 

 than 2000. In April of the following year it had reached 5000. 

 Up to that date the passage-money of the coolies had either been 

 paid or advanced, but this practice was afterwards discontinued. 

 Labour, nevertheless, was extremely high. The lowest price 

 at which it was obtainable was 33 cents (one shilling and four- 

 pence) per diem, bvit 50 cents was more usual. Such wages 

 were of course well-nigh proliibitive of remunerative farming, 

 and though they have possibly decreased since, it is in the highest 

 degree improbable that labour will ever be obtainable at as low a 

 figure as it is in Ceylon, or even anything approaching it. Yet 

 there is no lack of steam communication. A subsidised steamer 

 arrives every tliree weeks from Hongkong, and the Singapore mail 

 is due at intervals of about eight days. 



The rapid growth of Elopura reminds a traveller to whom 

 " rushes " are not unfamiliar of other townships he has seen spring 

 up, even more quickly, in a " diamondiferous " or gold-bearing 

 locality. There the interest not unnaturally centres in the precious 

 stone or metal which has brought them to the place. In British 

 North Borneo the great fertility of the soil was the nominal 

 inducement. Yet it was singiilar to note how little people seemed 

 to trouble themselves about it, and how slow they were to profit by 

 the advantages which, we were told, surrounded them on all sides. 

 On our arrival little or no actual planting had been commenced, 

 but about a mile behind the town a large forest-clearing was being 

 made. Some sucjar-cane had been tried, but the soil was un- 

 suited for its growth, the canes being small and scrubby, and with 

 very short internodes. Lanook {Musa tcxtilis) was doing faudy 



^ In April, 1886, almost the wliole of the lower town was destroyed by fire. 



