ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Eastern hlands. 



payment at about 10 mace; for smaller payments they have pieces of eight 

 and sixteen to a pecul ; and for smaller money, cowries are in use. 



BORNEO TOWN. — This town is about 10 miles up a river of the 

 same name, bearing S. W. from Pulo Chinning, a remarkable island on 

 the coast. One mile from the town, the river bends in a short reach, round 

 a small island, in almost an opposite direction ; being up with this island, 

 which yon must leave on your right, there appears a branch of the river to 

 the left, or S. E. ; keeping to the right, you approach the town, to which 

 junks of 600 tons come up. The houses are built on each side of the river 

 upon posts, and are ascended by stairs and ladders ; those on the left side 

 going up, extend backwards to the land, each in a narrow slip. The land 

 is not steep, but shelving ; every house has therefore a kind of stage erected, 

 for connexion with the land. There is little intercourse from house to house 

 by land, the chief communication being by boats. On the right going up, 

 the houses extend half a mile backwards, with channels like lanes between 

 the rows. The river here is almost as wide as the Thames at London 

 Bridge, with six fathoms water in the channel ; and here lie moored, bead 

 and stern, the Chinese junks, four or five of which come annually from 

 Amoy, of 500 to 600 tons each. Some of the houses on the right side of 

 the water are two stories high, with stages or wharfs to them, for the con- 

 venience of trade. 



A considerable traffic is carried on here with Amoy, and several places 

 in China, and with the neighbouring islands ; and timber being plentiful, 

 and good for ship-building, the Chinese build large junks, the artificers and 

 iron work for which are brought from Amoy. 



The treacherous disposition of the inhabitants of this extensive island 

 has discouraged almost every European from venturing to trade with them. 

 On the N. W. coast, particularly at this place, they have in the river 40 or 

 50 large proas, which are instantly ready and filled with men, when a ship 

 is to be assaulted. Therefore, unless trading in u large ship, well fitted for 

 defence, it is not safe to remain in the road, and certain destruction to 

 proceed up the river to the town. If a boat is sent on shore, the Rajah 

 will offer to trade when the ship is brought into the river, and when the 

 commander comes to visit him. Beware of complying with these requests; 

 as a short time since, the commander of a large ship, with four of his 

 officer-!, and part of his crew, were massacred, and the ship and cargo seized. 

 Soon after another ship, mounting 18 guns, anchored in the roads, and 

 after remaining a few days, and communicating in her boat with the town, 

 large proas came out of the river with the intention of attacking her, 

 which compelled her to leave this inhospitable place without trading. 



