Borneo
an island, next to Australia and Papua, the largest in the world, is situated in the Indian Archipelago, in 7° 3' N.-4° 10' S. lat., and 108° 53'- 119° 22′ E. long. It is bounded on the E. by the Sea of Celebes and the Macassar Strait, S. by the Sea of Java, W. and N. by the Gulf of Siam and the China Sea. Its length is about 800 miles, with a breadth of 700, and an area of about 284,000 square miles.
BORNEO Topography. The coasts, which are often low and marshy, and rendered dangerous to navigation by numerous islets and rocks, present no deep indentations, though they they are pierced by numerous small bays an and creeks. A great part of the island must be described as mountainous. In the far N. rises the magnificent structure of Kinabalu (13,- 698 feet high), the culminating peak probably of the whole Indian Archipelago, and not unworthy in its picturesqueness of such a rank. Throughout the narrow northern portion of the island there runs a kind of central ridge in a general S. W. direction, with highest points ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 feet; and this can be traced, at least as a water parting, far to the S. W. So far as is known the mountain framework of the whole island consists, like Kinabalu, of eruptive and crystalline rocks of high antiquity. Of modern volcanic activity, so prevalent elsewhere in the Indian Archipelago, there is, in Borneo, no trace either in tradition or in the record of the rocks. A large portion of the surface, not covered by alluvium, consists of tertiary deposits, in regard to the age of which, however, geologists are not agreed. Though there are many powerful streams, navigable far inland for boats of considerable burden, their value as waterways is lessened by the bars which usually prevent the entrance of sea-going vessels, and in their upper reaches by frequent rapids and occasional waterfalls. In connection with the river systems there are numerous lakes in Borneo; but of true mountain lakes on a large scale there are probably few.
Climate and Productions. - The climate in the low grounds is humid, hot, and unhealthful for Europeans; but in the higher parts toward the N. the temperature is generally moderate, the thermometer at noon varying from 81° to 91° F. During the rainy season, from November to May, heavy storms of wind with loud thunder are experienced on the W. coast. The influence of the land and sea breezes passes inland to quite remarkable distances across the level plains and up the river valleys. Vegetation is extremely luxuriant. The forests produce ironwood, bilian, teak, ebony, sandalwood, gutta percha, dye woods, benzoin, wax, dragon's blood, sago, various resins, vegetable oils, and gums. The camphor of Bruneï is the best in Asia. The mohor tree, well adapted for making native boats, attains a height of 80, and the kaladang, suited for large masts, of 200 feet. Nutmegs, BORNEO cloves, cinnamon, pepper, betel, ginger, rice, millet, sweet potatoes, yams, cotton in Amuntai, sugar cane in Sambas and Montrado, indigo, tobacco, coffee in Sambas, pineapples, cocoanuts, etc., are cultivated. The mountains and forests contain many monkeys, among which is the orang outang. Tapirs, a small kind of tiger, small Malay bears, swine, wild oxen or banteng, and various kinds of deer abound. The elephant is found only in the N., and the rhinoceros in the N.
W. The few domesticated animals are buffaloes, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats.
Fish is plentiful, and the coasts are rich in tortoises, pearl mussels, oysters, and trepang. Brilliant butterflies and moths are in great variety. Among the mineral products are coal, gold, and copper , especially in Montrado; antimony, iron, tin, platina, nickel, diamonds and other precious stones, rock crystals, porcelain clay, petroleum, and sulphur. The diamond mines are chiefly in Landak and Pontianak; Sambas produces the greatest quantity of gold; the kingdom of Bruneï, Kuteï, and Banjermassin , the largest amount of coal. The Pengaron coal field, worked by the Dutch Government, is one of the most important. The People. The population consists of three classes, the Dyaks or Dayaks, who are the aboriginal heathen inhabitaboriginal heathen inhabit ants, and constitute the great bulk of the population; the Mohammedans or Malays for this name is extended so as to include all professors of Islam, whether true Malays, Buginese, Javanese, Dyaks, or Arabs; and the Chinese. The Dyaks live chiefly in the interior, and employ themselves with tillage and the collecting of gutta percha, resin, gums, ratans, gold dust, and wax. They are divided into numerous tribes. The Malays (taking the name ethnographically) dwell on the coasts, are traders and bold sailors. They are more civilized than the Dyaks, cultivate the grounds around their houses, lay out gardens, keep cattle, and live partly by fishing. The Chinese, chiefly from Canton, have penetrated far into the interior. They engage in trade and mining, are unwearied in their efforts to make money, and then return to their native country. They have always endeavored to live as independent republics (kong-si) under chiefs chosen by themselves, and according to Chinese laws. In 1857 the Chinese living in Sarawak rebelled, and were nearly exterminated. The Dutch were also compelled to put them down by force of arms, and have imposed a poll tax. The women of Borneo, except the Dyak, weave cotton BORNEO fabrics, make earthenware, baskets, and mats of beautiful designs and colors.
The principal ex- In the district of Banjermassin are factories of weapons. ports are gold, gold dust, diamonds, coal, ratans, gutta percha, edible nests, cotton, wax, timber, dye woods, mats, resins, sandalwood, camphor, etc.; the imports, earthenware, iron, steel, and copper work, piece goods, yarns, woolen and silk fabrics, medicines, provisions, wines, spirits, rice, sugar, ar, tea, tobacco, opium, trepang, gambir, gunpowder, etc.
Political Divisions. - Borneo has never formed a political unity, and there is no native designation for the island as a whole. The name Borneo (Burneï or Bruneï) in fact properly applies only to the Mala
Malay kingdom on the N. W. coast; and Kalamantan or Kalamantin, sometimes quoted as a general appellation, is also of limited purport. The following are the present political divisions: (1) Brunei.- This originally included nearly the whole of the N. W. of the island. The Sultan has absolute authority. In 1847 he undertook not to surrender any of his territory to any other power without the sanction of the British Government. Capital, Bruneï, 20 miles from the coast, on the river of the same name. Pop. 25,000. Its area was reduced by the erection of (2) Sarawak into a practically independent principality by Sir James Brooke (1841-1868 ). (3) North Borneo. - This territory consists partly of a portion of the old kingdom of Bruneï, partly also of districts on the E. coast, claimed by the Sultan of the Sulu Islands. Against the British occupation of the Sulu territory, a protest was made by Spain, which had for some time been gradually incorporating the Sultan's possessions. As a matter of fact, the British North Borneo Company has been successful in appropriating and developing its territory, which, with an area of 30,709 square miles, and a coast line of 900 miles, is now divided into the East Coast residency and the provinces of Dent , Keppel, and Alcock, and has its capital at Elopura or Sandakan, the largest settlement, with 5,000 inhabitants. The population of the territory is estimated at 500,000. (4) Dutch Possessions. - By far the largest part of the island is ruled directly or indirectly by the Dutch, who have divided it into the residency of the Western Division of Borneo, and that of the Southern and Eastern, the former having Pontianak as the seat of government, the latter Banjermassin. Be- BORNU sides a number of smaller dependencies, the Western Division contains the kingdom of Landak, Tayan, Mampawa, Sukadana, Simpang, Matan, Sekadow, Sintang, Sambas. Pop. about 450,000. States forming the Southern and Eastern Division are Kotaringin, Banjermassin, and Martapura. Pop. about 783,000. Chinese, Malays, etc., are forbidden to ascend the river higher than the Kanpore Pilany. The same is the case with the basins of the Kapuas Mururg, known as the Little Dyak district. The population of the whole of the Dutch portion of the island is about 1,280,000. (5) The Island of Labuan, off the coast of Bruneï, has belonged to the Brit- The chief towns in Borneo are Sambas (10,000), Pontianak (9,000), Banjermassin (30,000), Bruneï (20,000), and Kuching (12,000). ish since 1846.
History. The Chinese had commercial dealings with Borneo as early as the 5th century, but they made no settlement for a long time after. The Malay kingdom of Borneo proper dates back to the 13th century. Another Malay settlement of later origin, Sambas, was at first dependent on Johore in the Malay Peninsula. Sukadana was founded by Hindu Javanese from the kingdom of Majapahit (see JAVA), and spread its influence on the whole S. part of the W. coast. Mampawa was a Buginese settlement, and Pontianak was founded as late as 1771 by a colony of Arabs, Malays, and Buginese. Islam began to be preached by Arabs from Palembang in the 16th century.
The Portuguese effected a settlement in 1690 at Banjermassin; from thence they were, however, soon expelled. The Dutch succeeded in concluding a treaty of commerce with the princes of Banjermassin. They erected a fort and factory in 1643, and a second in 1778 at Pontianak. The British made unsuccessful attempts in 1702 and 1774 to effect a settlement in Borneo, but, during the 19th century, they acquired a preponderating influence on the N. W. coast.