98 DESCENDANTS OF THE MALAYS. 



the orang Kyan ; the orang Milanowe, Tedong, Kad- 

 yan, Idaan, and Merut, and some others, being smaller 

 divisions, and differing in some particulars from either 

 of the two first and greatest divisions. The peculiarities 

 of each will be described in portions of the work which 

 will be devoted to them ; and as here it is more our 

 object in mentioning them to facilitate our description 

 of the division of the country into Malayan kingdoms, 

 it will suffice to say that, independent of their simi- 

 larity of language and many customs, the great and 

 distinguishing feature of their character the barbarous 

 custom of taking and prizing as objects of pride and 

 triumph the heads of their enemies is equally common 

 to all the ramifications of their tribes. 



The descendants of the Malays of the peninsula 

 appear to have formed no other kingdom in the island 

 than that of Bruni, which has been of sufficient import- 

 ance to have caused strangers to apply to the whole 

 island the appellation of Borneo, a corruption of the 

 name of this state. During the time of its greatest 

 power, in the 16th and 17th centuries, it governed the 

 whole of the north-west coast, from Tanjong Dattoo, in 

 long. 109 41' east, and lat. 2 5' 22" north, to the oppo- 

 site or eastern shores. All the tribes of the many rivers 

 in this extensive district are said to have acknowledged 

 its sway ; and it was divided into provinces, each of 

 which was governed by wise though rigorous laws, 

 administered under the immediate superintendence of 

 a pangeran, or noble, sent directly from the capital, 

 which, when visited by Pigafetta, the companion of the 



