OTHER TRIBES. 343 



the Rajahs of Borneo, amongst whom their tribes are 

 divided. The Idaan, or Meroots as they are more 

 properly called inhabit the more hilly districts towards 

 the north, in the vicinity of the great mountain, Kina 

 Balou. They resemble the Kadyans, and some of their 

 tribes, who being nearer to the capital, are, more than 

 others, under the influence of its nobles, are, like them, 

 compelled to plant pepper, and collect the other pro- 

 duce of the country for their masters. These people 

 appear anxious for an intercourse with Europeans, and 

 during our temporary occupation of the islands Balam- 

 bangan and Labuh-an, eighty years ago, they came in 

 numbers, in their little boats, bringing with them for 

 sale, hogs, fruit, and other productions of their country. 

 They are said to resemble the Kyans in the sacrifice of 

 human victims on particular occasions. 



Scanty as is our knowledge of the tribes above 

 enumerated, the inhabitants of the east coast are still 

 less known to us. They are said to be Dyaks, i. e. 

 Kyans of a ferocious description. The Orang Tedong 

 which inhabit the interior of some of the large rivers 

 opposite the Soolu Archipelago, go to sea in fleets 

 regularly, as do the Dyaks of Sarebas and Sakarran, but 

 their cruises are not confined within such narrow limits 

 as those of these people. Their boats frequent the 

 islands of the Phillippine group, and are said occasionally 

 to cruise as far down the western coast as the island of 

 Labuh-an. They are settled on the Koran and other 

 rivers, in towns, mixed with the inhabitants of the Soolu 

 Solands, and many of these places being fortified as 



