1843] GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 35 



adduced than the circumstance of the ' Samarang' losing 

 only two men out of a crew of two hundred, during the 

 arduous surveying duties of this river, and neither of 

 which cases was fairly attributable to climate. The great 

 drawback which occurs to me is the want of a labouring 

 population ; the Malay is too indolent and independent, 

 and will hardly work for the maintenance of his own 

 family ; the Dyak may be induced to quit his mountain 

 holds when he finds security and a better market for his 

 labour, but at present he prefers the air and retirement 

 of the mountains, with the cultivation of his Paddy fields, 

 without which necessary article of provision the town 

 population would probably suffer. 



The Chinese are the only people to be depended upon, 

 but the present race is little better than Ladrone ; they 

 belong to their captain or headman, and it is difficult to 

 obtain their labour excepting through him, with whom 

 they are under bond. Under the countenance, or pro- 

 tection of Great Britain it is not improbable that a more 

 civilised race will flow in. A feeling of greater security 

 will naturally be engendered by the formally taking pos- 

 session of any portion of the northern coast of Borneo, or 

 even by the frequent visits of our cruizers for the sup- 

 pression of piracy. If the highly important advantages 

 which Mr. Brooke has obtained, are not followed up by 

 some decided act on the part of Government before any 

 misfortune befal him liable to annul them, this territory 

 will gradually recede into its former insignificancy, or be 

 transferred to the hands of some other power. 



The forests of Borneo do not appear at present to offer 

 any very desirable or valuable wood ; poon is abundant, 



D 2 



