1846.] ISLAND OF TAMBISAN. 123 



taught to what extent they suffer, by allowing them- 

 selves to be imposed upon by these wandering merchants. 

 They have now ascertained that the goods previously 

 imported are very far inferior in quality to those of British 

 manufacture, and that the prices charged by the Bugis 

 traders are about eight hundred per cent, above a fair 

 return, or considerably greater than if they opened a 

 direct trade with Singapore in their own vessels, an event 

 which will certainly follow the suppression of piracy on 

 the shores of Borneo. 



These observations apply particularly to the rivers in 

 the Curan district, where the produce of the native tribes 

 of the interior would arrive at a free market, uncontrolled 

 by the customary tyranny of the Malay Rulers. But 

 there is another trading position on the N.E. angle of 

 Borneo, where the merchant is saved the trouble, as well 

 as risk, of seeking an inland market. This is within the 

 Island of Tambisan, or, in the harbour formed by the 

 canal which separates it from Unsang. It is supposed 

 that this is the head quarters, or general rendezvous, of 

 the pirates of the neighbouring seas, and that all the 

 lawless traders assemble here to exchange property. 

 Here the Bugis, as well as the contraband Singapore 

 traders, furnish the necessary supplies, of arms and am- 

 munition, to those vessels which dare not enter a port 

 under European jurisdiction. The property in the 

 market, although in many cases drawn from the resources 

 of that part of Borneo, may be considered as resulting 

 either from piracy or oppressive taxes levied upon the 

 people of these islands; amongst the most prominent 

 objects at these sales, I am informed that slaves, captured 



