THEIR EXPORTS. 323 



Nipa, on the head waters of the great Rejang river, and 

 he is very much feared by the neighbouring tribes of 

 Dyaks, Milanowes, &c. He is the ally of the Chief of 

 Serekei, who, though a Mahometan, is not of the pure 

 Malayan race, his mother having been a Kyan woman. 



The country of the Kyans is reported, by all who have 

 visited it, to be very populous ; much more so than any 

 other parts of the island. In some parts of it, gold and 

 diamonds are found. On the Banjar river the people 

 are said to wash the earth for these precious com- 

 modities, as do the Dyaks of Suntang, in the inte- 

 rior of the western branch of the Batang Lupar river. 



Bees'-wax and camphor are exported by them largely 

 from Bintulu and Serekei, at which towns these valuable 

 commodities are collected by the Mahometans, who 

 ascend these rivers for the purpose, and by whom the 

 whole of this valuable trade is carried on, in exchange 

 for salt, cloth, beads, brass-wire, and ivory. The bees'- 

 wax and camphor are reported to be so plentiful, that 

 the Dyaks never collect them until the arrival of the 

 trader from the sea ; who, having delivered his cargo 

 into the hands of the chief, and having fixed his price 

 for the whole of it, either waits until the day stipulated 

 for payment has arrived, or returns in time to receive 

 his goods in exchange, which he knows are more valu- 

 able to him than money. So punctual are these people 

 said to be in their payments, that if when the day has 

 arrived, the Malay merchant is not there to receive his 

 return cargo, they consider he has forfeited his right 

 to the security of his property, and, after the time 



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