Banjermasin or Bandjarmasin

BANJERMASIN or BANDJARMASIN, the chief town on the southern side of the island of Borneo, on the river Mata pura, near its junction with the Barito, situated some 24 m. from the mouth in the bay, in S. lat. 3 ° 3 2', and E. longitude 1 14°38'. The meaning of the word is "saline garden." It was formerly a principality under the sultan of Banjermasin with an area of some 4,84o sq. miles. The town, with a population of some 70,00o inhabitants of many races, is the seat of the Dutch Resident of South-eastern Borneo. Its buildings stand on either bank of the river, but most of the inhabitants occupy houses either floating on rafts or built on piles along the water's edge. As large vessels can sail right up to the town, it is an important centre for the districts watered by the Barito and other large riv ers. The jungle products are rattans, benzoin, wax, gutta-percha, gold, diamonds, iron and coal. Plantation rubber is grown by both natives and Europeans. Pepper was cultivated for many years, before it became a monopoly of the Dutch Government, but its cultivation is now dwindling, except for a few Chinese gardens. The geological formations appear to be Plutonic and sedimentary. Coal mines are being worked.

History.

The sovereignty of Banjermasin in olden times extended over the whole of the south-eastern portion of Borneo. Tradition assigns the foundation of the State to Ampu-Jatmika, son of Mangkunbumi, a Coromandel merchant. Ampu-Jatmika went from India to Borneo, giving the country the name of Nagara-dipa and settled on a river still called Nagara. Here are still to be seen the remains of stone edifices said to have been the residence of the first princes. The date of settlement is uncertain but may be about A.D. I 200. In the third generation the only descendant of the founder was a princess, who married a prince of Majapahit, in Java, who took the title of Raden Suryanata. From his time to the overthrow of Majapahit in the year 1478, Banjermasin continued tributary to that Javanese State, which assisted it in extending its dominions eastward, until they em braced the States of Kuti and Pasir.

The people professed a rude Hinduism, similar to that of Java, but about the beginning of the 16th century they became Moham medans, having been converted by the State of Damak in Java immediately after the subversion of the Hindu State of Majapahit, at about the time of the first appearance of the Portuguese in the Archipelago. In 170o the East India Company established a factory in Banjermasin, but the place was found to be unhealthy, and the Company's servants were finally attacked by the natives, whom they repulsed with great difficulty. The settlement was abandoned. The English again seized Banjermasin in 181 r, but restored it in 1817. Of the commercial community the Chinese are a very important portion, and there is also a considerable number of Arabs. The district of Banjermasin was incorporated by the Dutch in consequence of the war of 186o in regard to the succession in the sultanate, which had been under their protection since 1787. The town of Matapura was the seat of the sultan from 1771. The inland portion of the district is covered with forest, while the flat and swampy seaboard is largely occupied by rice-fields. (C. H. ; E. S.)