BRITISH BORNEO. : 61 
be an amphibious one. In the East there are, from a sanitary 
point of view, some points of advantage in having a tide-way 
passing under the houses. I should add that Sandakan is a 
creation of the Company’s and not a native town taken over 
by them. When Mr. PRYER first hoisted his flag, there was 
only one solitary Chinaman and no Europeans in the harbour, 
though at one time, during the Spanish blockade of Sulu, a 
Singapore firm had established a trading station, known as 
‘Kampong German,” using it as their head-quarters from 
which to run the blockade of Sulu, which they successfully 
did for some considerable time, to their no small gain and 
advantage. The success attending the Germans’ venture ex- 
cited the emulation of the Chinese traders of Labuan, who 
found their valuable Sulu trade cut off and, through the good 
offices of the Government of the Colony, they were enabled 
to charter the Sultan of Brunai’s smart little yacht the Sw/- 
tana, and engaging the services as Captain of an ex-member 
of the Labuan Legislative Council, they endeavoured to enact 
the roll of blockade runner. After a trip or two, however, 
the Sultana was taken by the Spaniards, snugly at anchor 
in a Sulu harbour, the Captain and Crew having time to make 
their escape. As she was not under the British flag, the 
poor Sultan could obtain no redress, although the blockade 
was not recognised as effective by the European Powers and 
English and German vessels, similarly seized, had been res 
tored to their owners. The Sw/fana proved a convenien 
despatch boat for the Spanish authories. The Sultan of Sulu 
to prove his friendship to the Labuan traders, had an unfor- 
tunate man cut to pieces with krisses, on the charge of 
having betrayed the vessel’s position to the blockading 
cruisers. 
Sandakan is one of the few places in Borneo which has been 
opened and settled without much fever and sickness ensuing, 
and this was due chiefly to the soil being poor and sandy and 
to there being an abundance of good, fresh, spring water. It 
may be stated, as a general rule, that the richer the soil the 
more deadly will be the fever the pioneers will have to en- 
counter when the primeval jungle is first felled and the sun’s 
rays admitted to the virgin soil. 
