148 
PALAWAN. 
opened stores on their own account. These men had been dealing direct with the Dusuns, 
there being no Sulus much above Sidano. Here we anchored for two days, the 4 Royalist ’ 
taking in a cargo of damar collected by one of these Chinamen. The few Chinese settled 
here had not seen a steamer for nearly two years ; in the meanwhile they had been busy 
trading with the Dusuns. They valued the cargo we took on board at 15,000 dollars. It 
is wonderful how the Chinese will settle for a few years on the coast of some of these 
islands, and after that time they are able to retire with a fortune, unless cut up by the 
Sulus. I made several expeditions on shore, and followed the course of a small river some 
distance inland. Besides Dusuns, there are numbers of Manilla men here, a somewhat 
stunted and ugly lot; various signs of the Cross cut on the trees indicate that they have at 
one time or other received their religious instruction from the priests. The mountains here 
come right down to the sea-coast and are covered with high forest. I thought this would 
be a suitable place from which I could explore the mountains, but the explorer might have 
to remain for a long period without seeing a steamer; the coast here being open to the full 
force of the China Sea, and a mass of coral-reefs often uncovered at low w^ater, it would be 
dangerous to coast along in small boats, to say nothing of the numerous piratical Sulu 
44 dapongs.” 
We returned to Kalusian, where my men had been left. I landed here also for some 
hours while the steamer loaded up with rattans. The Sulus here seem more peaceable than 
those of Taguso, and go about unarmed, even without their 44 barongs.” Kalusian is no 
great distance from Kalamutan; but the Dusuns would not be more inclined to assist the 
explorer, if they did not evince open hostility, as the Sulus Avould do their best to keep 
the interior closed against wdiite men. In a few days we once more reached Labuan, where 
most of the Kadyans were more or less ill with fever. 
After packing up my collections and shipping them home, I prepared for my second 
and final expedition to Kina Balu, the success of which surpassed all my expectations. 
A full account of the birds found and discovered by me in this island will be found in 
the Appendix at the end of the volume. 
SULU DAPONG. 
: H- 
