232 OVERLAND MAIL. [1845. 



their communications with the interior, and even volun- 

 teered to convey a letter for me to the city of Brunai. I 

 immediately caused one to be written by Tuan Hadji, 

 assisted by our interpreter, and on presenting it to be 

 forwarded, he asked for a piece of white cloth to put 

 round the head of his messenger, informing me that it 

 would reach the Rajah Muda Hassim, to whom it was 

 directed, in ten days. Within was a note to Mr. 

 Brooke, in English. I inquired if he would take me; 

 his reply, with a very animated expression of counten- 

 ance, was, " yes, if you will put a white cloth round your 

 head, I will do the same, and with this symbol of 

 peace we can pass through all the tribes safely ; I will 

 answer for your life with mine !" This post, he informed 

 me, " can go from Gunung Taboor also, but the Sultan 

 of Gunung Taboor is not so friendly to the Sagais ; too 

 much powder and guns for their habits." The more I 

 saw of these interesting people about Borneo, the more 

 am I inclined to coincide with Mr. Brooke, that they 

 required but gentle treatment, and encouragement, to be- 

 come our most useful commercial allies. Here they 

 could turn out the Bugis Malay race whenever they 

 felt disposed, but the people of Bulungan are not war- 

 like ; their town is not stockaded, nor have they anything 

 resembling a battery. Their guns, which in these 

 countries are merely reckoned as plate with us, may be 

 brought out upon state occasions for rejoicing, or perhaps 

 as in our case, for defence, but otherwise they are con- 

 cealed in their houses. Their external commerce is so 

 very trifling that they are frequently distressed for Rice, 

 and of this we ourselves had proof ; it is brought here 



