ame, was, until the last few years, a port
of some wealth, and carrying on an extensive trade, which has been
ruined entirely by the rapacity of the Malay chiefs, who have now
but little control over that part of Borneo Proper which lies to the
northward of the river. The province of Sarawak is situated at the
S.W. end of Borneo Proper, and was formally ceded in perpetuity by the
sultan in 1843 to Mr. Brooke, who, indeed, had possessed the almost
entire management of the district for the two previous years. "It
extends from Tanjong Datu (I quote from Mr. Brooke's description of
his territory) to the entrance of the Samarahan river, a distance
along the coast of about sixty miles in an E.S.E. direction, with
an average breadth of fifty miles. It is bounded to the westward
by the Sambas territory, to the southward by a range of mountains
which separate it from the Pontiana river, and to the eastward by
the Borneon territory of Sadong. Within this space then are several
rivers and islands, which it is needless here to describe at length,
as the account of the river of Sarawak will answer alike for the
rest. There are two navigable entrances to this river, and numerous
smaller branches for boats, both to the westward and eastward; the
two principal entrances combine at about twelve miles from the sea,
and the river flows for twenty miles into the interior in a southerly
and westerly direction, when it again forms two branches--one running
to the right, the other to the left hand, as far as the mountain
range. Beside these facilities for water-communication, there exist
three other branches from the easternmost entrance, called Morotaba,
one of which joins the Samarahan river, and the two others flow from
different points of the mountain range already mentioned. The country
is diversified by detached mountains, and the mountain range has an
elevation of about three thousand feet. The aspect of the country may
be generally described as low and woody at the entrance of the rivers,
except a few high mountains; but in the interior undulating in parts,
and part presenting fine level plains. The climate may be pronounced
healthy and cool, though for the six months from September to March a
great quantity of rain falls. During my three visits to this place,
which have been prolonged to eight months, and since residing here,
we have been clear of sickness, and during the entire period not one
of three deaths could be attributed to th