note.]

[Footnote 5: Owing to the absence of roads and the consequent importance
of rivers as means of getting about, nearly all districts in Borneo are
named after their principal river.]

[Footnote 6: This right was transferred by Mr. COWIE to Raja BROOKE in
1833.]

[Footnote 7: The British Protectorate has obviated the danger.]

CHAPTER III.

The fairest way, perhaps, of giving my readers an idea of what Brunai
was and what it is, will be by quoting first from the description of the
Italian PIGAFETTA, who was there in 1521, and then from that of my
friend the late Mr. STAIR ELPHINSTONE DALRYMPLE, who visited the city
with me in 1884. PIGAFETTA'S description I extract from CRAWFORD'S
_Descriptive Dictionary of the Indian Islands_.

"When," says he, "we reached the city, we had to wait two hours
in the _prahu_ (boat or barge) until there had arrived two
elephants, caparisoned in silk-cloth, and twelve men, each
furnished with a porcelain vase, covered with silk, to receive
and to cover our presents. We mounted the elephants, the twelve
men going before, carrying the presents. We thus proceeded to
the house of the Governor, who gave us a supper of many dishes.
Next day we were left at our leisure until twelve o'clock, when
we proceeded to the King's palace. We were mounted, as before,
on elephants, the men bearing the gifts going before us. From
the Governor's house to the palace the streets were full of
people armed with swords, lances and targets; the King had so
ordered it. Still mounted on the elephants we entered the court
of the palace. We then dismounted, ascended a stair, accompanied
by the Governor and some chiefs and entered a great hall full of
courtiers. Here we were seated on carpets, the presents being
placed near to us. At the end of the great hall, but raised
above it, there was one of less extent hung with silken cloth,
in which were two curtains, on raising which, there appeared
two windows, which lighted the hall. Here, as a guard to the
King, there were three hundred men with naked rapiers in hand
resting on their thighs. At the farther end of this smaller
hall, there was a great window with a brocade curtain before
it, on raising which, we saw the King seated at a table
masticating betel, and a little boy, his son, beside him. Behind
him women only were to be seen. A chieftain then