The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-19 00:00:00

examination.

Nearly, if not all, vegetable productions found in
tropical soils art climates, are to be met with in
Borneo. Capital and labour are alone required to
create a great commerce out of the natural elements
and means of wealth which are lavishly scattered
about this beautiful land. The soil of Sarawak, with
which Mr. Low is beet acquainted, consists, he says,
of a rich strong yellow loam, of from ten to twenty
feet in thickness, which is covered again by an average
of six to twelve inches of a black and very productive
vegetable mould, formed by the decayed vegetation
of the primeval forests. This soil is admirably adapted
for the cultivation of the sages-cane, which flourishes
ilia without the slightest care from the Dyak,togreater
perfection than in Ceylon under the skilful nurture of
Europeans. An experiment has been tried to grow
nutmegs—the cultivation of which is so costly at
Singapore and Penang—in the coots nut, and other
cheap styles of plantation, and with, we are assured,
the most complete success. Oranges, cinnamon,
cloves, and many other valuable exotica are also found
to flourish in the soil of Sarawak, a fact which proves
that the finer kinds of spices might also be cultivated
with a little attention. Among the more ordinary,
but not less valuable, products of the island, arc enu-
merated—rice, sago, coffee, cotton, pepper, the cocoa-
nut, tobacco, gotta perch*, and many others. The
fauna of the country, so far as it is yet known, is also
described by Mr. Low, and to
_his descriptions we refer
the curious in such matters.
Mr. Low's account of the inhabitants of Borneo
both of the Dysk and Malay races—though still for
from perfect and satisfying, is yet more complete and
apparently more accurate than any of those furnished
by his predecessors.
As we have said, he enjoyed some advantages in
his observations which they had not; and as he
seems to be a perfectly conscientious man, his
opinion is well entitled to consideration. We are not
sorry to find the Englishman, who is, perhaps, best
acquainted with the character of the Malay, inclined
to think it, on the whole, much better than its reputa-
tion. Europeans have formed their judgments of the
ruling race of Borneo from the very worst portion of
it—the pirates. It is true that the Malay character
is not good ; but its imperfections arise from acci-
dental and removable causes, not from inherent
defects of mental and moral organisation. Mr.
Low thinks the Malay population would bear
a not unfavourable comparison with the untaught
lower classes of European nations. He regards
them as little, if at all, mentally inferior,—and in
some of those natural graces of bearing and of manner,
the endowment of most Asiatic races, as infinitely
superior to them : yet in their honest but unexagge-
rated confidence they more resemble the sturdy North
American Indians than the servile and cringing
Hindoos. They are Mohammedan in religion, and of
the Sunni or orthodox sect: bat contrary to the pre-
cept of their founder, declaring that no true believer
could ever be held in bondage—an injunction which
more western Mussulmen evade by pretending to de-
tect some flaw in the creed of their slaves—they per-
mit the institution of slavery to flourish to an un-
warrantable extent. Their debtor and creditor laws
are analogous to the ancient Roman laws on the same
relations. The insolvent becomes the slaveofhis creditor ;
and as the original debt, with compound interest at a
most usurious rate continually added, multiplies it at
a tremendous speed, there is no hope of a person once
involved ever recovering his liberty. This institution
is one that has frequently claimed the attention of
Mr. Brooke; and we are assured that the pecuniary
sacrifices which he has made in assisting persons un-
der these circumstances have been neither few nor
slight. The Malays are excessively superstitious, and
their spiritual superiors—" the descendants of the
Prophet," as all Arabs on the island call themselves—
exert an influence over them ouly to be paralleled out
of the annals of Ireland or Portugal in western

Europ e.
The )yaks are, perhaps, in every respect, an in-
ferior race—less finely organised, and lees developed,
both in their characters and institutions. Their re-
ligions are excessively vague. That they have a
pantheon is, however, certain, for Mr. Brooke is one
of their gods, whom they supplicate in prayers, and
worship with simple rites. They implore him to
send them plentiful harvests. When he visits one
of their villages they wash his feet with water,
which ceremony they believe endows the said water
with divine virtues. They preserve it with great
core, and pour it upon their plantations and fields in
small quantities, to render them fruitful. The way
k whisk the missionaries who have recently gone out
to Sarawak will deal with these nations we do not
know ; but we may add that this superstitious rite is
innocence itself compared with the practice which
formerly prevailed of taking heads upon all such oc.
caaions.
There are many curious points connected with the
Pyaks, on which we could wish for still ampler infor-
mation. Mr. Low considers that he has found in
their ceremonies indubitable traces of the ancient
ritual of the Hindus. Further investigation into the
yet existing remains of traditions and religions in
Borneo may possibly do something to increase our
knowledge of the early settlements of the whole of
eastern Polynesia.
The work which appears first upon our list has not the
scientific claims of that which has just occupied us. It
is written evidently by a young officer, with lively im-
pressions, a keen eye for novelty, and appetite for fun.
But it contains many lively sketches, both from pen
and pencil, and much valuable observation throughout
a much wider range than that taken by Mr. Low.
It is a useful supplement to the work of Capt. Keppel;
at most of whose achievements the writer was present.
His personal account of Capt. Keppel is highly to the
honour of that commander, and indeed equally so to
that of Mr. Brooke.
I don't know," writes the author, " what the natives
thought of the European Rajah Brooke playing at leap-frog,
but it is certain the rajah oareu little what they thought.
Every one loved him."
Mr. Marryat displays a very good feeling towards
the Dyaks, and even towards those receiving punish-
ment as pirates, who he thinks may not all have
been so guilty. He dwells more especially on the
castigation administered by the Semarang to the
prahua and population of the Gillolo shore, where
350 were slam, and many women and children, and
where it is at least very possible that the victims were
no pirates at all, and neither meditating nor con-
cerned in piracy. Bat as Sir Edward Belcher is evi-
dently no favourite with Mr. Marryat, it may be
well to maks allowance for any, strictures upon him.
open or covert, made by the gallant middy.
A truly interesting portion of Mr. Marryat's book
is, however, his account of the expedition against
Brani, and of the signature of the famous treaty, when
" The platform admitted one of the steamer's guns to I,ok
into the audience chamber, the muzzle pointed directly at
the Sultan, and • man with the lighted tow in his hand
standing by."
It is satisfactory to see the good feeling that pre-
vailed towards the French and their admiral, whom
the Semarang met on the coast of Sooloo. They were
then treating for the sovereignty of the island of
Basilan. They bad commenced by endeavouring to
take forcible possession of it, but were beaten off by
the natives, who killed a lieutenant and four men.
The admiral offered the Sultan of Sooloo 20,000 dol-
lars for the island, which he refused. At the same
time the people of Sooloo strove to get rid of such
visitors by poisoning the springs where the vessels
watered. A seaman discovered the circumstance by
the effect which the water had on his feet. The
French admiral had already laid in his stock when
the English informed him of his danger.
The description of the interview with the Sultan of
Sooloo is amusing.
" Behind the Sultan stood a young man very handsomdy
dressed in crimson silk, who held in his hands an English
finger glans. We were very much at a loss to know what his
office might be, and also what might be the office of the
finger glass ; bat our curiosity was soon gratified ; the Sultan
beckoned the youth to approach, and as the latter presented
the finger glass his Highness blew his nose in it."
An extract of a different kind would be the very
graphic picture which Mr. Marryat gives of the
Minden, hospital ship. There is nothing more power-
ful in the pages of his great literary namesake, and
probably his relative.
But we have extended this review already to a
sufficient length.

UNPrERSITY AND CLERICAL.
CAMERIDOZ.—QUEENS'COLLE6E.—There will be an elec-
tion at thi 'college, on the 10th Feb., to an exhibition tu the
Michell Foundation. Candidates must be natives of the
province of Canterbury, and of the full age of 15, but must
not have exceeded '2O 'tan if members of the university,
they must not have been matriculated more than 12 months.
UNIVERSITY OP DUBLIN.—ERASIMS SMITE'S LECT' RE%
ON NATURAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPET.—At a
meeting of the board on the 10th of January, the Rev.
Robert V. Dixon, M.A., F.T.C.D., was elected to this lec-
tureship. The professorship of natural philosophy is still
vacant. x -
•

".-4/1
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.Z.l Al 42,

IE ~

AN ENOLISII Humor IN CutN►.-It is intended, as soon
as the necessary arrangements can be made, to found a new
bishopric ►omewbers in the Chinese sew probably at Vic-
toria, Hong-Kong. Towards the funds for this purpmo
them is at present upwards of 18,0001. in hand (5,0001. of
which ia for a college. granted in part by anonymous donors,
and the remainder collected under a pastoral latter by the
Bishop of London). The remaining sum necessary is to be
collected by voluntary subscriptions, about 20,0001, being re-
ckuired ceforo the consent of the government for the founda-
tion of a new lee can be espeeted.

NAVAL.
Pain Mossy.—Last night's Gazette gives notice to
Com. Birch and the company of H M*s.S. Waterwich, who
*were actually on board and entitled to share in the proceeds
arising from the capture of the slave vessel, name unknown,
on May 8, 1846, that the distribution thereof will bemade
on Feb. 7 next, at No. 1, Jamerstrcet, Adelphi ; and
where the list will be recalled for three months. Cora-
Minder, 15/. 7s. 51d. ; Ist class, 61. 17s. 6d. ; 2nd clue,
41. 2s. 6d. ; 3rd class, 21. ls. 9d.; 4th class, It. 7s. 6d. ; sth
CIAN, ; 6th oleo, 9s. 2d. ; 7th class, 41. 7d.
PORTSMOI:7II, JAN. 17.—Nautilus, 10, Lieut. Rivers,
came into hsrboar yesterday, to replenish stores, and sailed
again this day for the coasts of Sussex and Kent.—Cuckoo,
It., was swung for compass observation this morning, and
will sail to-night or tomorrow morning for Jersey.—Mer-
cnry, tender, arrived from Plymouth yesterday, wi h super-
numeraries. Prince Regent, 120, Capt. F. Martin, was
commissioned on tho 9th of Dec. last, and still remains
nearly 400 men short of her complement —Sharpshooter is
rigged, and ready fey commission.—Rear-Adm. Dundas and
Capt. Milne, Lords of the Admiralty, are expected at this port
to-day.
ADMIRALTY, JAN. 18.—Paomortow.—F. Cleave, to be
paymaster and puT er. —APPOINT/LENTlL—Commander : S.
Orenfell, to Blenheim. —Flag-Lieutenants : Hon. A.
Cochrane, to Wellesley ; C. Dyke, to Crocodile.—Surgeon :
J. Smith (c), to be surgeon-auperintendent of the Elisabeth
and Henry, convict ship.—Soonti Masters: H. J. Joseph-
son, to Lucifer; C. Bawden, to Wellealey.—Assistan-Stur-
goons : W. E. O'Brien, to Lucifer ; J. F. Henry, W. Cock
(acting), and J. Lilburr.is (acting), to Wellesley.—Clerk
in
Charge : C. C. Irk, to Lucifer.—Clerk : J. 11. Jackson, to
Wellosley.—M asters' Assistants : C. P. Nicoll, to Trincoma-
lee ; J. B. Cheyns, to Wellesley ; I'. C. Jones, to Sealark.—
Midshipmen : 0. G. Lomax and R. Yorker, to Wellesley ;
W. Spark, to Victory; C. Grant, to Ocean.—Assistant
Engineers: T. Scott, H. J. Wilk., and T. F. Simmons, to
Fisgard ; J . Taylor, to Bloodhound.—Naval Cadets : O. W.
P. Wright, to Hydra ; W. E. 0. Mutely, to Havana ; J.
0. Hopkins, to Terrible.--Clerk's Assistant: W. H. Bright,
to Crescent.—Acting Gunner W. Charles, to Excellent.—
Acting Boatswain : J. Cairn, to Fisgard.