ESSAY TOWARDS AN ACCOUNT OF SULU. 
531 
The harbour and river of Abai, are superior to any, between 
S ampanmangio and JPido Gaya, (and indeed is the only place 
where vessels have shelter from westerly winds) except Ambuny , 
which is ■ near to Abai , and is represented to be a good harbour. 
The country here abounds with grain, and considerable quantities 
of pepper and cinnamon would be had in a short time, were the 
cultivation encouraged. 
The next river is S ulaman, which is inhabited by Islam. 
T awarran is inhabited by Idaan, there are many goats in this 
district; it is very populous. About 60 Chinese , who left Borneo 
many years ago, settled amongst them. The river is reported to 
be navigable for boats, to the lake of Kiney Ballu. 
Many cabling river is inhabited by Islam, it is populous ; there 
is a sand-bar with 2 fathoms at high water, at low large Sulu boats 
cannot enter, within 3 or 4 fathoms ; there is a salt lake about 3’ 
from the bar, it has 2 fathoms and in some places 1 fathom. The 
river above the lake is rapid, and full of rocks, so that it is not 
navigable but by canoes; some say, it comes from the lake of 
Kiney Ballu ; but Data S araphodin thinks otherwise. This place 
and those before mentioned, produce some pepper. 
To the southward of M angcabung lie Pulo Gaya, and some 
other islands, they with some shoals form a convenient harbour, 
but of difficult entrance on account of these shoals ; into this har¬ 
bour disembogues the rivers of La Bataan, Inannam, Mangatal, 
Putatan, and Kinarut; the inhabitants are Islam ; the country is 
populous, and produces sago, rice, betelnut, cinnamon, and cocoa- 
nut oil. 
The next river is Pangalat, and to the southward of it Pappal, 
which is a large barred river, disembogues by two branches, the 
western named B enoni. The country is very populous, the natives 
Islam, it produces camphor as well as the other articles. 
Kimannis is the last river of the Sulu dominions the inhabitants 
are Idaan, and very numerous, they carry on an extensive trade* 
in their own prows to Java, &c., the country, besides a consider¬ 
able quantity of cinnamon and the other articles above mentioned, 
produces tenju, which is the gum of a certain tree, found also in 
Palawan and M agindanao. 
^ There are few islands off this coast. Pulo T iga, adjacent to 
Kimannis, is not remarkable for any thing. M anyallum abounds 
with fresh water, though alow island, it yields also much agal-agal, 
and a delicious root resembling turnips. 
M antannane, which is opposite to Pandasan, is in the district of 
Abai, there are three islands with produce some bird’s nest, but of a 
red colour. 
Such are the Sulu dominions on Borneo, this imperfect sketch 
of them may afford some satisfaction, since hitherto we have been 
m absolute ignorance of this quarter. 
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