CHAP. Ill THE PEOPLES OF BORNEO 29 



gold which they found in the river gravel and 

 alluvium. These also have intermarried with the 

 people of the country ; but they have retained their 

 national characteristics, and have been continually 

 recruited by considerable numbers of their fellow- 

 countrymen. Since the establishment of peace and 

 order and security for life and property by the 

 European administrations, and with the consequent 

 development of trade during the last half-century, 

 the influx of Chinese has been very rapid ; until 

 at the present time they form large communities 

 in and about all the chief centres of trade. A 

 certain number of Chinese traders continue to 

 penetrate far into the interior, and some of these 

 take wives of the people of the country ; in many 

 cases their children become members of their 

 mothers' tribes and so are blended with the native 

 stocks. 



Among the Mohammedans, who are found in all 

 the coast regions of Borneo, there is a considerable 

 number of persons who claim Arab forefathers ; and 

 there can be no doubt that the introduction of the 

 Mohammedan religion was largely due to Arab 

 traders, and that many Arabs and their half-bred 

 descendants have held official positions under the 

 Sultans of Bruni. 



During the last half-century, natives of India, most 

 of whom are Klings from Madras, have established 

 themselves in the small trades of the towns ; and 

 of others who came as coolies, some have settled 

 in the towns with their wives and families. These 

 people do not penetrate into the interior or inter- 

 marry with the natives. 



With the exception of the above - mentioned 

 immigrants and their descendants, the population 

 of Borneo may be described as falling naturally 

 into two great classes ; namely, on the one hand 

 those who have accepted, nominally at least, the 



