The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-24
BOREEO AND RAJAM BROOKE.

separated from IL by the Chinese Sea, lies clus-
ter Of great islands, comprising that portion OF
OceaI lea commonly called Malaysia. Ot these
islands Borneo is the most extensive, aud. II you
call Australia continent, II is by far the largest
island in the world. situated on the equator,
stretching from seven degrees Of north to four
degrees of south latitude, aud from l0s degrees
to 1l9 degrees of east longitude, its extreme
length Is eight hundred miles, its breadth seven
hundred, and it contains 100000 square miles
an area seven times as great rs that OF the
populous State of New York.
But though its size and Importance are so
great, though 1t was discovered by the Portu-
guese as early as 1913, though several European
nations have at various times had settlements
on its coasts, though 1t is rich in all the pro-
ducts of tropical cline, and in base and pre-
cious metals, diamonds, and stones, and though
it's climate, contrary to what might have been
expected, is in many localities saiubrious even
10 an American or European constitution, yet
until recently almost nothing was known by the
world OF its surface, its produces, or its inhabi
tants.
The causes OF this ignorance are obvious. The
very shape of Borneo is unfavoraole TO disco
very., A umpi,h mass, like Africa and Australia,
the ocean has nowhere pierced 1t With those
deep bays and CULTS IN which commerce de-
lights to find shelter and home. And though
1t has navigable rivers, their course is through
The almost i'm penetrable verdure of the tropics,
and they reach the sea amid unwholesome jun
giles. The coast moreover, is in most places
lnarshy and unhealthy tor the distance OF
twenty thirty miles inland while the interior
Tiled withvast forests and great mountain ranges
almost trackess to any but native feet. Be-
sides, the ab.epce OF all Just and stable govern
ment has reduced society to state of chaos.
And to all this must be added piracy, from time
mmemOIial sweeping the sea and ragaging the
land Under such circumstances, ii there were
! little opportunity for commerce, there was none
! or scientific Investigations; and only by the
! enterprises OF commerce OF the researches OF
science do We know OF new and distant coun-
! tries
Many races inhabit Borneo; but the Malays
| and sea and Land Dyaks greatly preponderate.
! Che Malays, who come from continental Asia.
! are the conquering and governing race. In
! heir native condition they are indoleut, treach-
! prous, and given to piracy. The very name
Malay has come to stand for cruelty and re-
/ venge. But we'll governed they prove to be
much like other people, susceptible to kindness,
capable of affection, amiable. fond to excess OF
their children, and courteous TO strangers. The
Sea Dyaks are piratical trioes, dwelling on the
coasts or borders of rivers, and subsisting by
rapine and violence. The Land Dyaks are
the descendants OF the primitive inhabitants.
| They are mild, industrious race, and re-
! markably honest. One hideous custom, that
| OF preserving the heads OF their fallen
enemies as ghastly tokens of victory, has in
vested the name o, pyak WIN res rrePnFafeen 9
practice, originating, it is said, in q supersti-
tious oeslre 10 propltiate the Evil Spirit by
bloody offerings, has in process of time become
connected with all then ideas OF manly pro vess
ston hoa SPone rom EEer EE lover the gut Of CORY
Affection ac1 n and nd his herdlsm. % This c. custom ON
IS woven, too, into the early tradi-
tions of the race. The Sakarrans tell us
that their first mother, who dwells now in
NO far GEnH nf han
wooer worthy gift; arc that when he presented
her deer she rejected 1t with contempt; when
| be offered her mias, the great orang-outane Of
| Borneo she turned her back upon 1T; but when
| in desperation he went out and slew man.
! brought back his head, and threw II at her feet
| she smiled upon him, and said that was indeed
a gift worthy OF her This legend shows at any
rate, how liked Is this habit, not alone in the
passions of the people, but also in their trad!
| tional regard. Yet, strange as 1t may seem,
they are an attractive race. misslonary's wife
are genIle and kindly, simple as children,
disposed to love and reverence all who
| are wiser and more civilized than them
selves. Ida Pfeiffer concludes that the Dyaks
| pleased her best, not only among the races of
| Borneo, out among al the races of the earth
! with which she has come in contact. Aud a
cultivated Englishman. with wealth and social
| position at command, has been so attracted to
| them, that he has lavished both his fortune and
ais best years in the work OF their elevation.
| The social condition OF the Dyaks has been
sufficiently wretched. Subjected to the Mala IS,
rhey have been forced TO work in the mines
i moment to be robbed of their homes, and
even OF their wives and children. 'We do
not live like men" said one of them, with great
pathos. 1--WE are like monkeys, hunted from
place TO place. We have no houses, and we
dare not light fire lest the smoke draw our
enemies upon u.s."
Running along the whole northern coast of
Borneo, eight hundred miles, and inland per-
haps two hundred, is found Borneo Proper,
one of the three great Mohammeian king,
doms into which the island was divided
as early as the sixteenth century. This
state is governed, or rather misgoverned,
by a sultan, and, under him, by rajahs
and pangerans = officials who give to
the commands of their nominal superior but
scanty obedience. For two centuries Borneo
proper has been steadily settling into anarchy
and barbaT1sm. With government both feeble
and despotIc, it was torn by intestine wars,
crushed within by oppression and ravaged witt
out by piracy, until commerce and agrlcultny
the twin pillars of the State, were eemed
threatened, and not one element OF ruAy could
to be wanting. What evidence of fact that
be more striking than the sixteenth cen
Bruni its capital which in thlanon of more
tury was crowded with a 4 souls, had in 1910
than two hundred thonSd inhabitants
scarcely fourteen tnoRs casting empire CANT
To one corner OF 90 a young Englishman;;
tyenty-dye yeaIa, me had no goyern%eeRaIpSI oeapv
alliances tqdinEs empire, except such as sprang
sort Tor Possession of sagdcious MIND, az, uil-
tromA temper, and heart Thoroughly Ia
dapathy with the oppressed. Alone ne nus
Juilt up ourishing state, introducing s I,gad Go
/ mercial activity and the habits OF cNIlMeu D'
life where only oppression ana ln.seLS hSS @ WEI,
and has achieved an enterprise whlch seeus
70 belong rather to the days Oh enlya.ry ,aL Insu
to plodding, utilitarah s ase- al III NC,
prise which, in romance ana success, pul nOt
IN carnage calls IN mind the deeds of the great |