ETHNOLOGY OF BORNEO 231 



We have mentioned also in Chapter II. the early- 

 intercourse between China and the Buddhist rulers 

 of Bruni and other parts of north and north- 

 west Borneo, and the legend of an early settlement 

 of Chinese in the extreme north. 



But these civilised or semi-civilised visitors 

 and settlers were separated from the indigenous 

 Borneans by a great culture gap, and they prob- 

 ably had but little friendly intercourse with them 

 and affected their culture but little, if at all ; and 

 though it is possible that they bartered salt, metal, 

 tools, and weapons, for camphor and other jungle 

 produce, their influence, like that of the Malays, 

 probably extended but a little way from the coasts 

 in most parts of the island. The higher culture of 

 the indigenous tribes of the interior has been 

 introduced, we believe, by invasions of peoples less 

 widely separated from them in cultural level, who 

 have penetrated far into the interior and have 

 mingled intimately with them. Three such invasions 

 may be distinguished as of principal importance : 

 that of the Kayans in the south and perhaps in the 

 south-east, of the Muruts in the north, and of the 

 Ibans in the south-west. Each of these three 

 invading populations has spread up the course of 

 the rivers to the interior and has established its 

 communities over large areas, until in the course of 

 the nineteenth century they have encountered one 

 another for the first time. Besides these three 

 most numerous and important invasions, there have 

 been many smaller settlements from the surround- 

 ing islands, especially from Java, Celebes, and the 

 Philippines, whose blood and culture have still 

 further diversified the population and culture of 

 the tribes of Borneo and complicated the ethno- 

 graphical problems of the island. 



Of the three principal invasions, that of the 

 Kayans has been of most effect in spreading 



VOL. II Q 



