ches, and
they require that practice with the pencil without which natural talent
is of little avail; the consequence is, that the engravings, which have
appeared in too many of the Narratives of Journeys and Expeditions,
give not only an imperfect, but even an erroneous, idea of what they
would describe.

A hasty pencil sketch, from an unpractised hand, is made over to an
artist to reduce to proportion; from him it passes over to the hand of
an engraver, and an interesting plate is produced by their joint
labours. But, in this making up, the character and features of the
individual are lost, or the scenery is composed of foliage not
indigenous to the country, but introduced by the artist to make a good
picture.

In describing people and countries hitherto unknown, no description
given by the pen will equal one correct drawing. How far I may have
succeeded must be decided by those who have, with me, visited the same
places and mixed with the people delineated. How I found time to
complete the drawings is explained by my not doing any duty on board at
one time, and at another by my having been discharged into the
hospital-ship at Hong Kong.

It was my intention to have published these drawings without
letter-press, but in this I have been overruled. I have therefore been
compelled to have recourse to my own private journal, which certainly
was never intended for publication. As I proceeded, I found that, as I
was not on board during the whole of the time, it would be better, and
make the work more perfect, if I published the whole of the cruise,
which I could easily do by referring to the journals of my messmates.

I would gladly mention their names, and publicly acknowledge their
assistance; but, all things considered, I think it as well to withhold
them, and I take this opportunity of thanking them for their kindness.

FRANK S. MARRYAT.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

LITHOGRAPHIC PLATES.

Chinese Joss House _Frontispiece_

Bornese Vessel _Title-page_

Loondoo Dyak _To face page_ 5

River Sarawak and Town
of Kuchin 6

Keeney-Ballo 59

Serebis Dyak 79

Saghai Dyak 80

War Dance of the Dyaks 85

Malay Chief (Sooloo) 101

Bruni