A DlSCOUESr, Sec. 2') 



The pcople are, ho wever, knov/n under tlie 

 general denoniinatlon of Alfiir or Ar af ar a^ 

 wliich term is extended to the same descriptlon 

 of inbabitants in tbc Islands furtber East ; tbcse 

 last do not appear to dilTer essentially from tlie 

 Orang Dai/ak of Borneo^ and miiy witb tbem 

 bc considered as tbo Aborigines of tbese Islands. 

 The Celebes, from its peculiar ügure, seerns ad- 

 mirably adapted for tbe purposes of commercial 

 intercourse; and altboiigb but a verj small 

 portion seems yet to liave ad vaneed to any degree 

 of cirilization, tbev are rénowned amons: olber 

 eastern nations for tbe spirit of comraerce and 

 war. Tbey have establisbed var.iqus colönies 

 on tbe opposite coast of BorneOj and on tbe 

 sbores of tbe adjacent Islands, and even maintain 

 an inÜuence ofno inconsiderable weigbt in tbe 

 politics of tbc Malayan States west as far 

 as tbe straits of Malacca. Tbe Biigis and 

 Macasar nations, like the Javanese, are nations 

 perfectly distinct from tbe Pylalays ; but we are 

 not yet suSiciently acquainted witb tbe Native 

 History to assert bow far tbey are entitled to be 

 considered as tbe indigenpus inbabitants of tb^ 

 country. 



We know pretty acciirately tbe date of tbe in 

 troduction of tbc Mabomcdan faith, and sonie 



