as to have induced the English to call the north of Borneo Pirates'
Point. These desperate banditti originally resided at Tawaran, but
were compelled to leave it from the resentment of whole tribes of
Orang Idan. The whole of this province is very fertile; it is the
source of all the great rivers on the island, and is more populous
with the aborigines of the country than perhaps the rest of the island
put together. The gold mines of Tampasuk have been mentioned; there
are also mines of rock-crystal. Tawaran and several other places
abound in goats and cattle. Abai has a small harbor, and the whole
of this coast is accurately laid down by Lieutenant James Burton,
in the sloop Endeavor. There are produced in this province much
wax, tortoise-shell, very fine camphor, sago, rattans, and a red
birds'-nest (which comes from Mantanane isle to Pandasan). They send
their produce to Borneo Proper. The pirates are commanded by Datus
from Borneo Proper. The lake in the vicinity of Kiney Baulu is said
to be delightful; it is many miles in circumference, well cultivated,
populous, and productive. It is said to be very cold, from the extreme
elevation, and the inhabitants are almost as fair as Europeans. There
is a valuable coral-tree somewhere hereabout.

The Bay of Maludu, on the north of Borneo, is thirty miles in length,
and from four to six in breadth, with numberless rivers flowing into
it. There is no danger on the right-hand shore going up, but what
is seen; on the larboard shore considerable coral-reefs are met
with. Laurie and Whittle's chart of it is tolerably correct. The
principal towns are, Sungy Bassar, nearly at the head of the bay,
and Bankaka, on the left; the former, under Sheriff Mahomed, sends
its produce to Sulo; the latter, under Orang Kayas, trades with Borneo
Proper. The British, when last at Balambangan, threw up a small redoubt
on the Bankaka side, with a view to supplies of rice and provisions;
and this part is tranquil and a good roadstead, being sheltered from
the swell brought in by the sea-breeze.

The rich and valuable fishery of copis or Ceylon oyster in this bay
has been mentioned; it might be rendered of considerable value. The
whole of the rivers for miles up abound in rattans; Mr. A. Dalrymple
thinks four thousand tons might be easily cut down every year without
exhausting it, and sent by junks to China. There are forests of
beautiful pines of stately growth, well calculated for the largest
ma