530 
ESSAY TOWARDS AN ACCOUNT OF SULU. 
Manila , and to have many islands in it. It is said, to be 5 or G 
fathoms deep in some places, and to be the source of all the con¬ 
siderable rivers in Borneo, above 100 in number ; the water is not 
limped, but whitish : Around its margin are innumerable towns 
of Idaan , they have a sovereign here, but in other places only 
chiefs, or orankys. This tribe is extremely numerous, but from 
their want of foreign communication, and from some remarkable 
customs, they are less addicted to commerce, than the value of their 
country would make it imaginated. They have however an inter¬ 
course inland with He.nja/r, and are well enough inclined to commerce 
and husbandry, except where their prejudices lead them into war. 
The islands opposite to this part of Borneo, and indeed the coast, 
from Sarnpamrumgio to near P ait an, do not properly come under 
the denomination of the Sulu dominions, as ceded to the English 
company, and require a particular discussion in another place, as 
the most eligible of all situations for the capital of the Oriental 
Polynesia . 
The last district of Borneo, is Pappal, the limits Sampanmangi-o 
on the north, and Kim an. is river in 5* h N. latitude, which, by 
treaty, is the limit southward, wiih the kingdom of Borneo-Proper. 
The productions of this coast, in general, are sago, rice, betelnut, 
cocoanut oil, camphor, wax, some pepper, and cinnamon; particu¬ 
larly the last in some quantity at Kimannis. The country is very 
populous, the inland particularly, which is inhabited by Idaan, as 
are some places on the coast: It is extremely well adapted for the 
cultivation of pepper and cinnamon, and in a few years large quan¬ 
tities might be had; it is very well watered, and has the conve- 
niency of many rivers, navigable by boats, and some even by larger 
vessels ; the river of Tawarran leads to the lake of Kiney Hally, 
from whence it is about 10’ or 15’ distant, and is accessible for 
boats ; that of Tampassuk is said to come from thence also. 
The first river is T avibahdan, the natives Idaan, though few in 
number ; abreast of this river is a coral tree, 5 or 6 fathoms high, 
it grows in 7 fathoms, but the number of large fish frighten people 
from diving for it. 
Lu, is a small river, is the next. 
Pandasan has few people, who are Mahometans, 
Tampassuk, Abai, Lubuk, and Ambling, are inhabited by Ma¬ 
hometans, and form one jurisdiction. The first is a fresh water 
river, with a bar of 2 fathoms at high water, it is fresh at the bar, 
and within has 3 and 4 fathoms, it is reported to come from the 
lake of Kiney B allu, and has a gold mine near it. 
The river of Tampassuk, a few miles inland, approaches very 
near that of Abai , which is salt for some miles up, leaving a low 
narrow isthmus between them; the natives have had some thoughts 
of directing the Tampassuk river across this, into the channel of 
Abai, which is even now accessible at all times by small vessels, 
and would then probably be so by large. 
