178 SARAWAK to Ment. 
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wealthy Brunei man, pay nothing, while Panglima Bariye ( who 
“ does not belong to Brunei) and his people have to pay. You get 
“ three pikuls of gutta for one pikul of gums, that is to say, sixty 
“ pikuls of gutta for $1,509, which gutta is worth $2.400, and this 
“ way of dealing you call trading, for this is not an unexceptional 
“ ease, but of constant occurrence. ” 
The above-quoted case originated whilst Pangéran Anak Chuchu 
( whose property the Meri district is ) was proceeding from Sarawak 
to Brunei in his schooner. Meeting with head-winds, he brought up 
in the Meri river, and, finding this a good opportunity for replen- 
ishing his exchequer, levied the above tax. The Pangéran carried 
away plunder from the unfortunate natives to the extent of $9,000, 
leaving the population so deeply in debt that it will take them 
years to recover themselves. 
Sth May.—Trading seems slow work in these parts, as C 
had great difficulty in getting his friends to come to terms, and it 
was not till he got up steam and showed that he was in earnest in 
what he had said that the traders began to make up their minds to 
commence business. 
Having settled his affairs, and got up steam, we commenced 
working our way downstream, and at about 1 Pp... were out at sea 
steaming §. W. with a light breeze. but the weather intensely hot. 
The Brunei people say that. in former times, their profits, when tra- 
ding in the Baram river, sometimes reached 400 per cent., but this 
has been reduced by competition to 100 per cent., and, as the tra- 
ders borrow their money at Brunei at from 2 to 38 per cent. per 
mensem, and in trading with the Kayans have to make advances for 
the produce, which it takes, in many instances, twelve months to 
come to hand, they cannot be said to be such large gainers by this 
apparently large profit, considering the risk run. | 
The Kayans in the Baram appear, from all I can learn, to be very 
unsophisticated in matters of trade, and their ignorance and sim- 
plicity are taken advantage of by a lot of Malays for their own 
ends, who cheat and swindle these aborigines to their heart’s ” 
content. The Malays, however, all tell the same story. namely, that 
is it easy to humbug the Kayans, but dangerous to bully them; they 
barely acknowledge the rule of the Sultan. if they do so at all, 
which appears very doubtful. 
