B o r n e o .
given tolerable defcriptions of feveral, in the often cited old book
publifhed by Nicholas, from p. 39 to p. 42, accompanied with
plates as expreflive as could be cut on wood. '
T h e vaft ifland o f Borneo is divided from the northern coaflr
o f Java by a found between two and three hundred leagues in
breadth. According to M. D'Anville's, fcale, the ifland is in length
from fouth to north near three hundred leagues, and its greateft
breadth two hundred; the circumference is eftimated at two
thoufand miles; fo that it may juftly be conlidered as the
greateft ifland in the world. It is o f a pyriform fhape ; its ihores
rude, with projecting promontories, and is divided by the equator '
into two unequal portions. The far greater part o f Borneo
next to the fea, efpecially the northern, confifts o f fwamps, covered
with forefts o f trees o f numberlefs fpecies and great fizes,
which penetrate for /cores o f miles towards the centre o f the
ifland. Thefe unftable muddy flats are divided by rivers, which
branch into multitudes o f canals, and are the only roads into the
interior parts. Lofty mountains are faid to rife in the middle o f
the ifland; many are volcanic, and often occafion tremendous
earthquakes.
T h is great ifland is little known, except merely on the coafts,
and even thofe remain yet fo imperfectly explored, that lefs can
be faid o f it than o f many fmaller tracts. So unftable are the
fwampy out-lkirts, that in the attempts to eftablifh factories, the
Europeans have been obliged to build them on piles driven into
the ground; or, after the manner o f the country, to ereCt in
the rivers their houfes on polls, fixed to floats formed o f bodies
o f great trees, and thofe moored by rattans to thofe growing on
ihore, to prevent their being carried away by the floods. In
6 fuch
fitch a manner are many o f the towns of Borneo conftruCted;
they rife and fall with the tide, which here flows but once in
the twenty-four hours, and that only in the day. At fpring
tide, thefe towns on the Banjar river experience the rife and fall
of twelve feet.
T h e whole coafts are in the hands of Malayans, Moors, Ma-
cttflars, and even JapaneJe, who have perhaps for centuries driven
the antient inhabitants into the interior parts. The aborigines
are of a black complexion, a middle feature, with long and black
hair, and generally better featured than the Guinea Negroes,,
feeble in their bodies, and very indolent and inactive. The
women fmall, handfome, and o f a better color than the men.
Their general religion is o f a mongrel kind of Mahometanijm.
Thefe maintain a feudal government under chieftains, mif-
called by our failors, kings. The feat o f the principal is at
Tatas, near to Bandar Majfetn, fome miles up the country
on the northern fide, and feated on a great river, which for
many miles is twice as broad as the Thames at Grave/end, and
bounded by trees o f moft ftupendous height. It is navigable
far beyond Bandar Mafleen for the largeft fliips, and is greatly
frequented by the Chinefe jonks; the river is called China for
that reafon. We are not acquainted with the length o f its navigation
; but it rifes in the very middle o f the ifland, and runs all
the way due fouth. On this river we attempted to form a fettle-
ment under the Mr. Cunningham we have before mentioned;
but by fome imprudencies gave offence to the inhabitants, and
the greater part of our people were maffacred. The fame fate
has attended other factories o f different European nations who
have
I n h a b i t a n t s .