MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES, CONTRIBUTIONS AND 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
LETTERS FROM THE INTERIOR OF BORNEO (WEST COAST,) 
NO II. 
Karmgan, Jamary 14 th> 184/. 
Of a body of facts concerning a people situated as are the inha¬ 
bitants of this vicinity, (and I speak of these only,) the bulk must 
be far other than pleasing: as to the accuracy of what you are to 
read, the notes will convey the personal observations of one who has 
just passed his fifth new year’s day amid D&yak homes, and is not 
himself aware of any departure from fidelity in narrating what is 
founded on the testimony of repeated eye witnesses or corroborated 
statements of various native informants. Recent circumstances and 
reflections having led me to a thorough statistical examination of my 
immediate neighbourhood, the palpable certainty is disclosed that 
the population is steadily becoming less, in a saddening ratio, by 
excess of deaths over births. For instance, in a population winch 
numbered, two years ago, one hundred and sixty, fourteen have died! 
and scarcely an infant is to be seen. Within the last 8 months am 
almost total deficiency of truly wholesome food has prevailed, and 
famishing, rather than ordinary disease, has caused an unwonted 
proportion of deaths: four adults, of the average age of 45 to 50, 
perished from that small circle last month, and yet of those who 
remain , barely one third are under fourteen years of age . To 
this latter fact I venture to ask a speeial attention, for, though I 
have given no attention whatever to tables of population, I think I 
cannot be in error in regarding it as singular and ominous of ex¬ 
haustion : and I would gladly see an opinion from yourself, or some 
gentleman having data at hand, as to the proper proportion in 10(1 
for children under the age above named. On turning, at this mo¬ 
ment, to an “ American Almanac” I observe that, of the white po- 
VolJL Ao, VL June 1848, 
