CHAPTER II. 



THE TEMPERATURE AND SOIL OF BORNEO THE VEGETABLE PRO- 

 DUCTIONS OF THE ISLAND DESCRIBED IN SUCCESSION THE SUGAR 



CANE SPICES THE NIBONG THE BAMBOO RICE THE COCOA 



NUT SAGO THE GOMUTI PALM ITS USES THE BETEL, OE 



ARECA NUT RATTANS AND CANES THE NIPAH AND MANGROVE 



CAMPHOR VEGETABLE OILS THE GUTTA PERCHA THE UPAS 



TREE DAMMAR WILD CINNAMON AND COTTON PEPPER AND 



COFFEE GAMBIER AND TOBACCO TIMBER TREES ORNAMENTAL 



AND SCENTED WOODS FLOWERS. 



THE climate of Borneo, like that of most of the 

 Eastern islands, has been found exceedingly healthy 

 to persons whose avocations do not render great 

 exposure necessary. The north-east monsoon, or that 

 which blows from April to October, is the rainy period ; 

 but a day rarely passes during the south-west, or fine 

 monsoon, without a refreshing shower : this, with the 

 constant warmth, causes every thing to grow during 

 the whole year, the forests being clothed with a per- 

 petual verdure, which gives the islands, when seen 

 from the sea, a beautiful appearance, possessed by no 

 country in the world to so great an extent ; shrubs 

 (Hibiscus) and flowering trees (Barringtonia) always 

 overhanging the margin of the ocean, and the inland 

 mountains are observed covered to their summits with 

 a dense and luxuriant vegetation. 



In temperature it has never been found by Euro- 



