1843] PALACE OP BORNEO. 57 



just within the entrance of the river, where we found 

 Mr. Brooke's yacht, the ' Royalist ', as well as the ' Ariel ', 

 belonging to Mr. Stewart, had preceded us. Leaving 

 the vessels at anchor, we proceeded in our boats, accom- 

 panied by Mr. Brooke, Captains Hastings and Giffard, 

 to the city of Borneo, to pay our respects to the Sultan, 

 as well as to obtain information respecting the coal, and 

 the different sites at which it might be found. Mr. 

 Williams, Mr. Brooke's interpreter, started in advance, 

 and on our arrival we found arrangements already made 

 at the palace for our reception. 



The Palace of Borneo, as well as the entire city, is 

 constructed on piles driven into the mud on the sides of 

 the river ; on these is placed the main platform, which is 

 of substantial beams, crossing these piles about sixteen 

 feet above low-water mark, leaving not more than two 

 feet water at the outer posts. On this stage the palace 

 is erected, consisting of a wooden pitched frame-work, 

 thatched with the leaves of the Nipa palm (Nypafmticans), 

 which do not inflame ; the flooring formed of the split 

 outer rind of the prickly or Nibon palm (Areca tigil- 

 laria), leaving interstices of a quarter of an inch, through 

 which the river effluvia ascends pretty strongly at low 

 water, when the ebb leaves the mud bare. 



The large audience hall is matted, decorated by hang- 

 ings of coloured cottons, and at the furthest extremity is 

 a throne or kind of highly gilded and painted bedstead, 

 devoted to His Highness the Sultan. Our party being 

 European, chairs were provided, and having been duly 

 ushered in by the prime minister, Pangeran Usop, we 



