well as the exclusion of all
other powers from the ports of Borneo, may be principally attributed
to the sordid desire of the Dutch of monopolizing the whole produce
of the Eastern Archipelago, and their rooted jealousy in opposing
the establishment of every other power in the vicinity of Java,
or that of the Spice Islands.

These considerations and feelings have induced them to commit the
most flagrant crimes, not only against the natives of these regions,
but against every European power. Their infamous massacres at Amboyna,
Banda, Bantam, &c., have been historically recorded to their eternal
disgrace. By their intrigues at Benjarmasing, the British attempts at
a settlement twice failed; and Forrest, in his Voyage to New Guinea,
says, that the Solos were by Dutch instigation induced to cut off the
infant establishment of Balambangan, in 1775. They frustrated the
attempts of the Bridgewater at Pasir; and even the massacre of the
garrison of Pulo Condore was effected by Javanese soldiers supplied
by the governor of Batavia. The English, from their strong desire
of having a port in the China seas, hastily pitched upon the most
unhealthy spots for that purpose, viz. Balambangan and Pulo Condore.

The father of the present Sultan of Pontiana was the descendant of an
Arab, residing at Simpan, near Matan. By the advice and concurrence
of the Dutch he was induced, about forty-two years ago, to settle
on the unfrequented shores of the river Pontiana, or Quallo Londa,
with promises of early cooeperation and assistance, as well as of
rendering it the mart of the trade and capital of all Sukadana. As
soon as Abdul Ramman (the name of the first sultan) had succeeded in
attracting around him several Chinese, Buguese, and Malay settlers,
and in building a town, the Dutch (in 1786) came with two armed
brigs and fifty troops to establish their factory. To make good
their promises to Abdul Ramman (the treaty I have never seen), they
immediately overthrew the chief of Mompava, and gave his country in
trust to this ally: they shortly after invested the ancient city of
Sukadana, burned it to the ground, transferred the inhabitants to
Pontiana, or dispersed them and their chief into the interior. The
Dutch likewise placed the present rajas on the musnuds of Songo, Landa,
&c., and kept up a force at the former, with the express stipulation
that the whole of their produce should be sent from each of their
respective districts to the Dutch