67 
East; the Baram, which enters the sea at Baram point; the 
Li m bang or Briinei River, on a branch of which stands the 
native town of that name; the Bintiilu, the Tewiran, and the 
Tamp^suk, the last two being in North Borneo, and having 
their sources in Mount Kini Balu, Besides thesej there are 
hundreds of smaller rivers all round the coast of Borneo, but, 
hardly any of them admit of the entrance of large vessels. 
Lakes. — No important lakes are known in Borneo, those 
that exist being for the most part expansions of the rivers In 
the plains or fiat valleys. These are generally so shallow, except 
in times of flood, as to be rather marshes than lakes. Among 
thesCj the much disputed Lake Balu, south-eastward of Mount 
Kina Balu, used to be reckoned, but its existence, as a per- 
manent lake, has been recently disproved- Danau-MalAyu is 
in latitude i"^ 5' North, longitude 114° 20' East; the length is 
reported to be 8 leagues, the -breadth 4, and the depth 18 feet. 
Climate. — The rainfall is remarkably heavy in most parts of 
Borneo, especially to the North-West. In Sarawak, it aver- 
ages about 180 inches. The climate, owing to this, to ^ the 
influence of the sea-breezes, and to the equatorial situation of 
the island, is milder and more healthy than in most parts of 
the Archipelago. The climate of the North is similar to that 
of the Peninsufa, not being subject to hot land-winds. The 
West coast has no really dry season, but is refreshed by heavy 
and continuous rain all the year round, especially from Decem- 
ber to March. The mean reading of the thermometer at 
Ponti^nak is 82*^, and it never. exceeds 92^. In the promon- 
\.Qxy of North Borneo^ 1 he thermometer is lower, and is found 
rarely to exceed 86°, although the rainfall is lower than in 
other part of Borneo, and seldom reaches 90 inches. 
