28 SKETCH OF BOTINEO. 



times bj Dutch vessels, it had long been a snb- 

 ject of jpdloüsy to that nation, from being the 

 principal haunt of the English and French 

 traders on the island of Borneo. The Dutch 

 force emp]oye(^ against Sacadina^ consisted of 

 500 Europeans and 1000 Javanese, with two 

 large armed brigs^ and a great number of proas, 

 The Sultan of Pontiana sent along with them 

 his son the present R-ïjah, with a number of 

 armed Malay proas, and about 400 Bugese- 

 men. Sacadina was sacked and burnt, but lit- 

 tle propertj was seized, as the inhabitants es- 

 caped with the greater part of their property to 

 Mattan. Since that periode Saeadina has never 

 had anv considerable trade, nor been re-scttled 

 to any considerable extent, though favourably 

 situated for traffic in a country which affords 

 all the common productions of Borneo, e^pecial- 

 ly carnphor, benjar.iin, dragon's blood, agar 

 wood and rattans. Mattan is still governed by 

 a branch of the family of the ancient Sultans of 

 Sacadina, but this branch ha3 long been prover- 

 bial for their stupidity. The river of Malfau 

 and the territories subject to it which still com- 

 prehend the greater part of those which belong- 

 ed to the ancient Sacadina, are all extremely 

 well adupted to trade, and excite the cupidity 



