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BRITISH BORNEO. 99 
very uncomfortable relations with the new Government, 
for which he entertains anything but feelings of affection. 
One of the principal independent rivers on the West Coast— 
2. é., rivers which have not yet been ceded to the Company— 
is the Mengkabong, the majority of the inhabitants of which 
are Bajows, so that it has become a sort of river of refuge for 
the bad characters on the coast, as well as an entrepot for the 
smuggling of gunpowder for sale to the head-hunting tribes 
of the interior. The existence of these independent and inter- 
mediate rivers on their West Coast is a serious difficulty for 
the Company in its efforts to establish good government and 
put down lawlessness, and every one having at heart the true 
interests of the natives of Borneo must hope that the Com- 
pany will soon be successful in the negotiations which they 
have opened for the acquisition of these rivers. The Kawang 
was an important river, inhabited by a small number of Ba- 
jows, acquired by the Company in 1884, and the conduct of 
these people on one occasion affords a good idea of their 
treachery and their hostility towards good government. An 
interior tribe had made itself famous for its head-hunting pro- 
clivities, and the Kawang was selected as the best route by 
which to reach their district and inflict punishment upon them. 
The selection of this route was nota politic one, seeing that 
the inhabitants were Bajows, and that they had but recently 
come under the Company’s rule. The expedition was detained 
a day or two at the Bajow village, as the full number of Dusun 
baggage-carriers had not arrived, and the Bajows were called 
upon to make up the deficiency, but did not do so. Matters 
were further complicated by the Dusuns recognising some 
noted cattle-lifters in the village, and demanding a buffalo 
which had been stolen from them. It being impossible to ob- 
tain the required luggage carriers, it was proposed to post- 
pone the expedition, the stores were deposited in some of 
the houses of the village and the Constabulary were “ dismis- 
sed” and, piling their arms, laid down under the shelter of 
some trees. Without any warning one of two Bajows, with 
whom Dr. FRASER was having an apparently friendly chat, 
discharged his musket point blank at the Doctor, killing him 
on the spot, and seven others rushed among the unarmed 
