BRITISH BORNEO. 47 
mented with pearls and precious stones, and had many rings 
on their fingers. 
x % * * *% ~ 
We remounted the elephants and returned to the house 
of the Governor. s a * ‘After this 
there came to the house of the Governor ten men, with as 
many large wooden trays, in each of which were ten or twelve 
porcelain saucers with the flesh of various animals, thats, 
of calves, capons, pullets, pea-fowls and others, and various 
kinds of fish, so that of meat alone there were thirty or two- 
and-thirty dishes. We supped on the ground on mats of 
palm-leaf. At each mouthful we drank a porcelain cupful, 
the size of an egg, of a distilled liquor made from rice. 
We ate also rice and sweetmeats, using spoons of gold, shap- 
ed like our own. In the place where we passed the two 
nights, there were always burning two torches of white wax, 
placed on tall chandeliers of silver, and two oil lamps of 
four wicks each, while two men watched to look after them. 
Next morning we came on the same elephants to the sea side, 
where forthwith there were ready for us two prahus, in which 
we were reconducted tothe ships.’ Of the town itself he 
says :— The city is entirely built in the salt water, the King’s 
house and those of some chieftains excepted. It contains 
25,000 fives, or families. The houses are all of wood and stand 
on strong piles to keep them high from the ground. When 
the flood tide makes, the women, in boats, go through the 
city selling necessaries. In front of the King’s palace there 
is a rampart constructed of large bricks, with barbacans in the 
manner of a fortress, on which are mounted fifty-six brass 
and six iron cannon.’ With the exception of the statement 
concerning the number of families, Mr. CRAWFORD considers 
PIGAFETTA’S account contains abundant internal evidence of 
intelligence and truthfulness. I may be allowed to point out 
that, seeing only the King’s house and those of some of the 
nobles were on ferra firma, there could have been littie use 
for elephants in the city and probably the two elephants 
PIGAFETTA mentions were the only ones there, kept for State 
purposes, It is a curious fact that though in its fauna Borneo 
