NOTICES OE EUROPEAN INTERCOURSE WITH BORNEO 
PROPER PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT 
OF SINGAPORE IN 18!R 
Discovery of Borneo by Magellan’s fleet during the first cir¬ 
cumnavigation of the globe, (Old subsequent Spanish intercourse 
with Borneo Proper. 
Although it is probable that Borneo was previously visited by 
Portuguese from the Spice islands, or by vessels voyaging between 
Malacca and their possessions in the eastern part of the Archipela¬ 
go, yet the earliest notice of the island occurs in Pigafetta’s relation 
of Magellan’s famous voyage round the world, undertaken by this 
great Portuguese navigator for the Spanish crown. After the disco¬ 
very of the Philipines, and the death of Magellan in the piratical 
crusade against Mathan (Maktan), the expedition visited several of 
the other southern islands of the Philipine Archipelago, and then, 
sailing from Palawan (in 1521) “ came next,” in the words of Pi- 
gafetta,* <c to the great and rich island of Borneo in lat. 5° 5’ N. the 
city containing not less than 25,000 houses. The king was a Ma- 
homedan of great power, keeping a magnificent court; and was al¬ 
ways attended by a numerous guard. He sent several presents to 
the Spanish captains, and made two elephants be led out with rich 
silk trappings, to bring the Spanish messengers and presents to his 
palace. He has ten secretaries of state, who write every thing con¬ 
cerning his affairs on the bark of trees. His household is managed 
by women, who are the daughters of his principal courtiers. This 
country affords camphor, which is the gum of a tree called Capar ; 
as also cinnamon, ginger, myrabolans, oranges, lemons, sugar, cu¬ 
cumbers, melons, and other fruits, with abundance of beasts and 
birds, and all other products of the equinoctial climate. The natives 
continually chew betel and areka, and drink arrack.” 
It is probable, from the proximity of Borneo Proper to the Phi- 
lipines, that the Spanish intercourse with it was greater than that of 
• Translation in Kerr’s Voyages and Travels, vol x. p. 2.1 , 
