s o o 
S 0 o 
353 
merous, as on Java. There is no such difference in the wet¬ 
ness of the seasons or monsoons, as on continents or very 
large islands; but the south-west monsoon brings most rain. 
Much falls at the change of the monsoons/especially of the au¬ 
tumnal. The capital of the island Bewan, or, as others call 
it, Sooloo or Soong, is situated on the sea coast, on the north¬ 
west part of the island. It is of considerable size: the houses 
are built after the manner of the Malays, elevated about four 
feet from the ground with bamboos, of which the floors are 
also made. It contains about 6000 inhabitants. A hill near 
the town is pretty high, and at night generally capt with a 
cloud. Other hills, of inferior height, are sometimes also 
covered in the evening. These clouds feed the rivulets which 
run from the hills; the land wind here is faint, and reaches 
not far: the island being rather small for its number of inha¬ 
bitants, they study agriculture more than do those of the ad¬ 
jacent islands, already mentioned, where land may be deemed 
of no value. The Sooloos plant rice ; but the crop cannot be 
depended on, as they are not sure of rain. They therefore 
cultivate many roots, the Spanish or sweet potatoe, the clody 
or St. Hillano yam, the China yam, both red and white; 
sending to Mindano for what rice they consume. They have 
great variety of fine tropical fruits; their oranges are full as 
good as those of China. They have also a variety of the 
fruit called jack or nanka, durians, a kind of large custard 
apple named madang, mangoes, mangustines, rambustines, 
and a fruit they call bolona, like a large plum or mangoe, 
white inside. In great abundance do they enjoy a very inno¬ 
cent and delicious fruit, by Malays called lancey. The trees 
in the woods are loaded with this fruit, which is large, and 
ripens well; this it does not on the island of Sumatra, where 
perhaps it finds too much moisture. The Sooloos having 
great connection with China, and many Chinese being settled 
amongst them, they have learned the art of ingrafting and 
improving their fruits, while the fruits at Magindano have re¬ 
mained indifferent. The Sooloos have a very good breed 
of horses, which they train to trot fast, seldom suffering them 
to gallop. At Sooloo are none of those beautiful birds called 
loories; but there is abundance of diminutive cocatoes and 
small green parrots. There is no spice tree but the cinnamon. 
Here are wild elephants, the offspring, doubtless, of those 
sent in former days from the continent of India, as presents 
to the kings of Sooloo. Those animals avoid meeting with 
horned cattle; though they are not shy of horses. Sooloo 
has spotted deer, abundance of goats and black cattle; but 
the people seldom milk their cows. They have no sheep, 
except a very few from Samboangan. The wild hogs are 
numerous, and do much mischief, by breaking down fences. 
After harvest, the Sooloos hunt the elephants and wild hogs, 
endeavouring to destroy them. 
In former times, a very extensive trade centered in this 
island. It was frequented by ships from Japan, which 
brought silver, amber, silks, chests, cabinets, and other curio¬ 
sities, made of fragrant woods, besides great quantities of silks 
and porcelain from China. Sooloo was also visited by 
vessels from Java, Sumatra, Ceylon, and the coast of Coro¬ 
mandel, with valuable cargoes. At present two Chinese junks 
arrive annually from Amoy. Their cargoes consist of the 
following articles, namely, brass salvers, iron, sugar candy, 
raw silk, black nankeen, white linen of a strong fabric, kan- 
gans, quail is, a thin iron pan three feet in diameter, china- 
ware, flowered silks, besides tea, cutlery and other hardware, 
brass wire, gongs, beads of all colours, little swan shot, fire¬ 
works, &c. &c. In return they bring back to China biche 
de mer, black and white wax, pearl oyster-shells, bird-nests, 
and tortoiseshell; also agal, a sea weed used as gum or glue, 
and many other articles, such as Carooang oil, clove bark, 
black wood, ratans, sago, various barks for dyeing, cassia, 
pepper, native camphire, sandal-wood, curious shells for 
grottos, pearls, and spices. The Portuguese formerly traded 
to a considerable extent with those islands: but from the dan¬ 
gers attending it, they abandoned it to the Chinese. Country 
ships from India occasionally visit these islands, notwith¬ 
standing the risk they run of being cut off. They import the 
Vol. XXIII. No. 1575. 
following articles, which find a ready sale to a small extent: 
—Brasiery, cutlery, cloth, guupowder, glass ware, guns of 
various sizes, hardware, iron in bars, ironmongery, looking- 
glasses, opium, piece-goods, saltpetre, shot of all sorts, 
swords, tin-ware, tobacco, sugar, Vermillion, and watches. 
From the north-east coast of Borneo, the inhabitants of 
Sooloo also import sago, biche demer, cowries, and tortoise¬ 
shell. From Magindano they receive rice, tor which they 
usually pay with Chinese goods. The Buggesses also trade 
with these islands, and chiefly bring cotton manufactures 
from Celebes. 
At Sooloo and the neigbouring islands, is a famous pearl 
fishery, which is a source both of wealth and of maritime 
power, being a nursery for seamen, with which they can 
man their prows on any emergency. The dredges for the 
pearl oyster are generally made of bamboo, very slight, and 
sunk with a stone. The large pearls are the property of the 
nobility on whose estates they are found; they also extend 
their claim to the pearls found on the banks, as well as on 
the dry land. The Chinese merchants, however, contrive, 
by their underhand dealing with the fishermen, to purchase 
from them pearls of great value. 
The sovereignty of the island is hereditary in the eldest son 
of the sultan; but the government is partly monarchical, 
and partly aristocratical. The legislative power resides in an 
assembly composed of 15 datoes or nobles, and of the sultan, 
who has two votes. The heir apparent has also two votes, 
if he sides with the sultan ; but if he takes part against him, 
he has only one. There are two representatives of the peo¬ 
ple, called Manteries, like the military tribunes of the 
Romans. The common people, it is said, owing to these in¬ 
stitutions, enjoy great freedom; but the vassals are often 
used in a tyrannical manner by their chiefs. The manners 
of the nobles are remarkably dissolute, for which they have 
ample opportunity, as the women here have as much liberty 
as in Europe. The Sooloos seldom go in their' vessels to 
foreign parts, except on predatory excursions to make slaves 
among the Philippines. They are not much accustomed to 
the use of fire-arms, but depend on the lance, sword, and 
dagger, at the use of which they are very dexterous; and 
being of a martial disposition, at an early period they had 
subdued not only all the adjacent small isles, but a great part 
of the coast of Borneo. They have the character of being 
sanguinary and treacherous, on which account their alliance 
has frequently proved much more dangerous than their open 
hostility. They are said to be fond of music ; and captain 
Forrest relates that in 1773, he saw the sultan dance a minuet 
with his neice, and the nobles go through a country dance ; 
but according to hiS account, the nobles performed ill, 
owing to their heavy slippers. The men generally go dressed 
in white waistcoats buttoned down to the waist, and white 
breeches. The ladies wear a fine white waistcoat fitted close, 
and a petticoat over drawers which reach down to the knee. 
The early history of the Sooloos is involved in obscurity. 
They assert on the authority of tradition, that their island 
once formed part of an ancient Bornean empire, founded by 
the Chinese. The inhabitants of the island of Magindano 
assert, on the other hand, that the Sooloos were formerly sub¬ 
ject to them. The Sooloos have been accustomed to carry 
on an unceasing warfare with the Spanish colonies planted 
in the Philippines, and generally with advantage. Prior to 
the year 1746, the Spaniards attacked them with a fleet of 
30 ships, and obtained possession of Bewan, the capital. In 
1775, they attacked a settlement belonging to the East India 
Company on the island of Balambangan, and drove the 
settlers on board their vessels. They are in the practice of 
attacking the vessels which visit them, and of plundering 
them if they are successful. 
SOOMA, a town of Niphon, in Japan; 45 miles east of Jedo. 
SOOMOO, a village of Kasson, in Central Africa, near 
the frontier of Kaarta. 
SOON, adv. [suns, Gothic; pona, Sax.; saen, Dutch.] 
Before long time be past; shortly after any time assigned 
or supposed. 
Nor 
4 X 
