SETTLEMENTS. 5 



have been established by Europeans on the island, 

 and none of them have ever prospered; even those 

 which the Dutch now maintain being reported to be 

 an annual expense to the government. The English, 

 in the year 1773, formed a settlement at Balambangan, 

 an island off the northern coast of Borneo, which had 

 been ceded to them by the Soolus, together with a 

 portion of the opposite coast, from the river Kimanis 

 on the west, to the great bay on the eastern side of 

 the island. Two years after the settlement had been 

 made, the English were attacked by the Soolus, and 

 driven from the place in February, 1775. In 1803 the 

 settlement was again attempted, but soon voluntarily 

 abandoned. The above comprise the whole of the 

 settlements which had been made on the island pre- 

 viously to the establishment of Mr. Brooke at Sara- 

 wak, and the failure of all of them is to be attributed 

 to the monopolies and illiberal principles of the Euro- 

 pean nations or companies which formed them. 



In consequence of the languid state of the Euro- 

 pean settlements, the true geographical position of the 

 points and headlands of its shores has to this day 

 remained unascertained ; but the recent survey of Sir 

 E. Belcher, of H.M.S. ' Samarang,' which has lately 

 returned, and Lieut. Gordon, of H.M.S. 'Royalist,' who 

 is now engaged on the northern part of the island, will 

 soon enable the Admiralty to furnish a more correct 

 chart of the western shores, though the eastern are 

 still unexplored. These, however, cannot long remain 

 unknown, as the settlement to be formed at Labuh-an 



