BRITISH BORNEO. 97 
or veiled, but often take part in public deliberations and, in 
matters of business, are even sharper than the men. 
The Sulus are a bloodthirsty and hard-hearted race, and, 
when an opportunity occurs, are not always averse to kidnap- 
ping even their own countrymen and selling them into slavery. 
They entertain a high notion of their own importance, and are 
ever ready to resent with their krises the slightest affront 
which they may conceive has been put upon them. 
In Borneo, they are found principally on the North-East Coast, 
and a good many have settled in British North Borneo under 
the Company’s Government. They occasionally take contracts 
for felling jungle and other work of similar character, but are 
less disposed than the Brunai men to perform work for Euro- 
peans on regular wages. Among their good qualities, it may 
be mentioned that they are faithful and trustworthy followers 
of any European to whom they may become attached. Their 
language is distinct from ordinary Malay, and is akin to that 
of the Bisaias, one of the principal tribes of the Philippines, 
and is written in the Arabic character; but many Malay terms 
have been adopted into the language, and most of the trading 
and seafaring Sulus know enough Malay to conclude a bar- 
ain. 
: The most numerous Muhammadan race in British North} 
Borneo is that of the Bajows, who are found on both coasts, but, 
on the West Coast, not South of the Pappar River. These 
are the orang-/aut (men of the sea) or sea-gipsies of the old 
writers, and are the worst class that we have to deal with, being 
of a treacherous and thievish disposition, and confirmed gamb- 
lers and cattle-lifters. 
They also form a large proportion of the population of the 
Sulu Islands, where they are, or used to be, noted kidnappers 
and pirates, though also distinguished for their skill in pearl 
fisheries. Their religion is that of Mahomet and their lan- 
guage Malay mixed, it is said, with Chinese and Japanese 
elements ; their women are not secluded, and it is a rare thing 
for a Borneo Bajow to take the trouble of making the pilgrim- 
age to Mecca. They are found along the coasts of nearly all 
the Malay Islands and, apparently, in former days lived en- 
tirely in their boats. In British North Borneo, a large major- 
