THE GEOGRAPHICAL GROUP OF BORNEO. 
441 
pany to erect a factory, arul accorded them the right of exclusive 
commerce in the states of Sambls, as well as in those of K&mb&uwa 
and L&nd&k. In 1615 the agent of the Company, Henry Vaak was 
chief of the factory of Sambas; but this establishment was suppress¬ 
ed in 1623. At the time of the arrival of the Dutch at Sambas this 
state was subject to Malay pirates, and it was the principal resort 
for the exercise of this calling. 
Borneo attracted attention from all quarters from its diamonds 
and bezoars to which latter wonderful medicinal virtues were attribut¬ 
ed in Europe. The native princes were continually at war each en¬ 
deavouring to secure the monopoly of diamonds of 5 carats and up» 
wards which belonged to the rulers. The Sultan of Plembang had 
often endeavoured to extend his authority to the western coasts of 
Borneo; the sultan of Bantfan succeeded in doing so in 17/0 by 
seizing the opportunity offered by the differences between Succada- 
nd and Linddk. The Bantamese aided the latter, which in return 
ceded the diamond revenue of three districts to the Sultan of Bdn- 
tdm, who appropriated the districts themselves. In 1778 the Sultan 
of Bdntani ceded to the Company all his possessions on the west 
coast of Borneo, and this formed the foundation of their power over 
this great portion of Borneo, for they had previously only occupied 
factories. 
The Company sent a resident to Pontianak where the Sultan Ab¬ 
dul Rahman was confirmed in his authority ; on the 5th July 1779 
a treaty was concluded by which he and his deseendents received in¬ 
vestiture by right of hereditary fief; but the Company reserved to 
itself the direct jurisdiction over the Javanese, Chinese, Malay and 
other inhabitants. It also caused a prudential clause to be inserted 
in tliis treaty limiting the admission of Chinese immigrants ; but Ab- 
dulrahman, recognized as sovereign, did not very scrupulously ex- 
cute this treaty. He employed the aid which had been granted him 
in extending his territory. In 1/86 with the auxiliaries furnished by 
the Company he invaded the country of the Sultan of Motan and 
destroyed the city of 3ucc&dan&; at a later period he placed his 
grandson Sherif Kasim over the country of M&mp&uwd. He died in 
