SANSCRIT. Although all the more cultivated languages of the Indian Islands
contain more or less of this ancient dead tongue, and the Javanese, even a great deal;
and although ancient inscriptions in it exist in Java, the name is wholly unknown.
That name is not, indeed, as in the case of other languages, derived from that of a
people, but a mere epithet, apparently of no very remote invention, and given after
the name and even the locality of the people who spoke it, as their vernacular tongue,
had been forgotten.
SAPAROWA, called by the natives HONIMOA. Correctly written it is probably
Sapurwa, or Sapurba, from the native numeral, so, standing as an article, and the
Sanscrit, purwa, “ first,” or “ source.” This name was, probably, like several others,
imposed by the ancient Malay and Javanese spice traders. Suparowa is one of the
Amboyna group of islands lying off the south-western end of Ceram. I t has a population
of 12,000, and produces more cloves than all the other islands of the same
group put together. To the residency or district to which it gives name, are annexed
the smaller islands of Nusa-laut or Sea Island, and Melano, which added to it make
the total population 20,000. The district contains twenty-two villages, all of which
are inhabited by Protestant Lutheran Christians, except two, of which the people
are Mahommedans. After the restoration of the Spice Islands by the English to
the Dutch in 1817, a rebellion broke out in Saparowa, which involved nearly the whole
island, and which it required the efforts of two years to suppress. The leaders in it
were, it is remarkable, all Christians.
SAPI, or SAPPT. This is the name given by navigators to the strait which
divides the islands of Sumbawa from Floris; and within or near to which are the
islands of Gunung-api, Gilibanti, and Comodo. I t is one of the highways between
the seas of the Malay Archipelago and the Pacific Ocean, the navigable passage being
between the last-named island and Sumbawa. The word sapi, in Malay and Javanese,
signifies “ kine,” or “ oxen,” and seems to be taken from the name of a bay on the
Sumbawa shore of the strait.
SAPONGAN. This is the name of a lake in the Spanish province of Caraga on
the northern side of the island of Mindano. A river proceeds from it which
shortly after quitting it, divides into three branches, and falls by as many mouths
into the bay of Butuan. Of the extent of the lake, nothing is stated beyond its
being large.
SAPPAN-WOOD. (Csesalpinia sappan.) This dyeing material, the wood of a
lowly tree, is found in many parts of the Malay and Philippine Archipelagos but is most
abundant in the island of Sumbawa, and in the provinces of Iloilo in Panay and Panga-
sinan in the great island of Luzon. In 1850, there were exported, chiefly to Europe
and America, no less than 11,000 tons of this article from the port of Manilla. The
sappan-wood is the wild produce of the forests, and that it is indigenous wherever
it grows there can be little question. It has, like many indigenous products a
distinct name in the different languages, the only agreement, and this not perfect,
being between the Malay and the Javanese, in the first of which it is called sapang, the
origin of the European commercial and scientific names, and in Javanese s&chang. In
one language of the true Moluccas we have it as samya, and in another as roro, while
in Amboynese it is lolan, and in the Tagala of the Philippines sibukao. I t seems
probable, however, that the Csesalpinias which produce the dye-wood of countries
which extend from the 9th degree of south to the 19th of north latitude, may be
distinct species. The sappan-wood of Luzon is by from 40 to 50 per cent more
valuable than that of Siam, that is, yields by so much more of colouring matter. In
this respect all the Asiatic Csesalpinias rank far below those of Brazil.
SAPTTTU. The name of one of the mountains of the northern Peninsula of
Celebes, with an active volcano. I t rises to the height of 5800 feet above the level of
the sea.
SARASAN is the name of one of the many islets off the eastern coast of the
Malay Peninsula. Like all the rest, it is inhabited by the orang-laut, or sea-
gypsies, amounting to about 300. The people of Sarasan had, at one time, the reputation,
not without good foundation, of being habitual pirates. Since the establishment
of Singapore, however, they have taken to peaceable pursuits, and bring their
birds-nests and coco nuts to the British settlement to exchange for com, salt and
clothing.
SARAWAK, is the name of the most southerly district of the western sea-board
of Borneo, and of the territory of the sultan of that island, bounded to the south by
Sambas, at the projecting head-land called by the Malays Tanjung Datu, meaning
“ elders” or “ chieftain's promontory.” I t is described by its present possessor as
extending along the coast for sixty miles with an average breadth of fifty, so as to
give it an area of 3000 square miles, which would make it by about one-fifth part
larger than the West Biding of York. With the exception of a few specks it is a
vast forest, without any sign of having ever been otherwise, with the ape, the deer, and
the wild boar for its most numerous inhabitants, The climate is moist and hot the
average temperature of the year being 83° of Fahrenheit. The geological formation
consists of sandstone and granite, but it possesses neither the gold of the southern districts
of the island, nor the coal of the northern, its only discovered mineral hitherto
being antimony. This previously little known country, was brought into notice in 1824*
by the accidental discovery within it of the richest, the most easily worked and
the most easily transported supply of sulphuret of antimony in the world' and
which has ever since furnished Europe and America with their principal supply. There
are three considerable rivers within the territory, or forming its boundary. The chief
of these which bears the name of the place itself, is formed by the union of two
streams proceeding from the mountains of the interior, which after their junction
pass m a course of 20 miles, through the territory, and at-12 miles from the sea divide
into two branches entering it by the same number of considerable mouths with
several small ones. The eastern of these channels called the Morotabas is the
navigable one, and is about three quarters of a mile broad, with a depth of from 31 to
4 fathoms at low water spring-tides, which makes it to a short distance navigable
by large ships. On the banks of this river stood the only Malay settlement, distant
about fifteen miles from the sea. This was called Kuching (the cat), and contained a
population of about 2000, of a rather miserable kind. I t is now the town of Sarawak
with a population of 15,000. The primitive inhabitants of the soil are the wild tribes
known to the Malays under the common appellation of Dayaks. These are not a
homogeneous people, but however small the tribes, really distinct and independent
nations. There are, says Sir James Brooke, “ twenty tribes in about fifty square
miles of land. All these, although with a little occasional admixture, speak really
distinct languages, which exhibits a state of society far more resembling that of Africa
or South America than of Asia. The Malays, by virtue of superior civilisation
became the rulers of the land, as m other parts of the coast of Borneo, and the
Dayaks, m so far as they came withm their reach, their Helots.”
In 1841, Sir James Brooke an English gentleman, a man of great enterprise, strong
will, and ample courage and ability, obtained a grant of S&r5wak, from its little more
than nominal lord, the Sultan of Borneo, and has ever since governed it as a virtually
independent sovereign, under the Malay title of Baja, taken from the Hindus
and literally signifying king The result has been a great accession of population
by rmmigration consistmg of Malays, Dayaks, and Chinese, and a large augmentation
of trade, for m 1854, its exports are stated to have amounted to the value of a million
of Spanish dollars, and its imports to eight hundred thousand. Such a result indeed
“ i® . rude ,a?d anarchical countries, never fails to follow from any administration
which gives a fair amount of security to life and property, and examples of it now
and then occur, even under native governments, although the effects, in such cases
are necessarily temporary. ■ ’
SARAWI, is the name of a nation of the western side of Sumatra, whose
locality is between that of the Bejang and Palembang. They speak a peculiar
language, but write it in the same character as the Bejangs. Their country includes
Manah Mr T Pasamak-lebar, that is “ inland” and “ broad” Pasamak, with
Manah. Mr Logan estimates the territory occupied by the Sarawi at 5000 sauare
“ • i f ’ T population at 16,000, giving consequently 32 inhabitants to the square
The Sarawi must be coasidered as
SAT ^ v E ‘i The 0nty t,erm for savaoe in any of the languages of the Malav
M»l!!tP iiag°*18 8?Ul t m Enghsh to “man of the woods, or forests” This in
Malay, is ortug-utan, our well-known orang-utang, and in Javanese wong-alas The
Sorlo sfmatem:ndCe\bePr iallyre3triCted | g g g p to the wild I # <*
SAYOE or SAWEE is the name of a small island lying west of Timur and distant