The bad success of the Spaniards and Portuguese, did not deter the Dutch from attempting to form I settlements on an island which seemed to combine so many commercial advantages. They, at first, suc ceeded in establishing factories at Borneo, Sambas, • and Succatana. But the persecutions of the Moors forced them likewise to abandon these inhospitable coasts ; nor do they seem to have ever revisited them till the year 1748, when they appeared off Banjar-. massif' with a squadron, which, though feeble, so overawed the sultan, that he granted them the exclu sive commerce of pepper, with this single exception, that he should be permitted to deliver 500,000 pounds of that commodity to the Chinese who fre quented his harbours. The advantages which the Dutch derived from this commerce scarcely counter balanced the expense of the establishment.
The English, like the•Dutch, were tempted-, by the advantages Which Borneo held out, to brave, all t the dangers which other Europeans had experienced in endeavouring to settle pn its coasts. They, ac cordingly, began by establishing a colony at Succata na; which, like all their predecessors who had made the same attempt, was compelled to leave the island in 1691. A short time after that, however, they were received at Banjar-massin ; where, with the as sistance of two hundred Indian families, who placed themselves under their protection, they rapidly form ed a very flourishing colony. The 'Moors, envious or afraid of the growing prosperity of this factory, were approicbing one day to plunder and destroy it, when the captain of an English vessel, who had come by accident to Banjar•massin, dispersed the barbarians, and pursued them along the river as far as Nagra, about sixty leagues from the mouth of the Banjar. The factory was no longer molested by the natives ; but the English, destitute of money and of victuals,. were obliged to abandon it. They return ed, however, in 1704, with a fleet of several ships, which enabled them to give law to the islanders. Captain Barr was ordered to take the direction of that establishment, and to build a fortress upon the banks of the Banjar. Alarmed by that undertaking, the Moors advanced upon the river with a numerous flotilla to attack the factory ; but Barr, proceeding against them with a single vessel, terrified them to such a degree by the fire of his artillery, that they fled in all directions.
The death of that brave and active man, in 1.706, was immediately followed by the total de struction of the English factory. Cunningham, his successor, was a mean and dastardly wretch, a fraid to encounter the slightest danger, and unable to provide against the most trifling contingen cy. The Moors, no longer kept in awe by the name of. Barr, again appeared in arms before the fortress ; when its infamous governor, without making one ef fort to defend it, embarked with all the garrison, and act sail for England, abandoning, to the discretion of the enemy, not only all the goods and ammunition of the factory, but a number of workmen and slaves at tached to its service. The Moors pillaged and sack ed the fort, massacred all the Indians whom they found there, and, soon after, drove from-Tamborneo, at the southern extremity of the island, a remnant of English who had settled in that quarter. Such was the disgraceful manner in which the British colony in Borneo was completely destroyed.
They again attempted, in 1766, to form a settle ment in the island of Balambangan, at the northern extremity of Borneo, which was ceded to them by the king of Soloo. They stationed there a few Eu ropeans, and a garrison of 300 soldiers, Europeans and blacks, and designed to establish a factory, where they might exchange the productions of Eu rope and Hindostan for those of China and the In dian islands ; but, in the year 1772, their garrison was greatly reduced by contagious diseases, and the fort which they had constructed being badly forti fied, was suddenly attacked, and the whole establish ment was destroyed. Yet the English have still a
factory at Borneo, and are masters of all the northern coast of the island, which was delivered up to them by the Soloos, who had conquered it. The places ceded to the English to the south of Pirates Point are, Pandassan, Tampassook, Abia, Amboug, Salaman, Tawarran, Juannan, and Palatan as far as Keemanees. In this extent of coast there are some good harbours; and it is much more populous than the country north of Pirates Point, which extends a little beyond the spacious harbour of Sandakati as far as Towson Abia, where the English possessions in this island terminate.
Mr Dalrymple, in a plan which he has given for forming an establishment at Balambangan, expresses his conviction, that the Idaans, if they were well treated, would eagerly crowd in from all quarters, to place themselves under the protection of any Euro peans who should settle in their neighbourhood. His opinion is supported by Mr Forrest, a very judicious navigator ; who adds, that if an English establish ment should be formed in that quarter, these people would supply them abundantly, by their different ri vers, with pepper and rough materials for exportation, besides the precious articles of gold and diamonds ; not to mention the great advantages which a free commerce between this island and Hindostan would afford to Bengal and Bombay. There might be there trained a race of Lascars, or mariners, who would employ a great number of vessels ; because the commodities which are exchanged for the salt and embroidered cloths of Hindostan are of great bulk. These Las cars, mingled with an equal number of English sea men, would fight a vessel well, as has been often ex perienced in India, especially on the coasts of Mala bar. Another advantage resulting from this establish ment would be, the ready communication which it would open with Cochin-China, and other places on the eastern shores of the China seas. As the track is nearly north-west or south-west, every trade wind would furnish a favourable gale for sailing thither from Borneo or Balambangan, and even for returning ; and Cochin-China would afford a ready market, not only for woollen stuffs, but likewise for the cottons of In dia, and particularly the muslins of Bengal.
Long before Borneo was known to Europeans, 1 the Chinese had established an extensive commercei with that island, which they still continue. This commerce resembles, in some measure, the trade of Europe with America. The Chinese export from Borneo great quantities of wood, which they employ for making furniture, and which they purchase for about two dollars the pecul, and sell for five or six. They likewise export junks, a kind of resin, cloves, Gwalloos, tortoise shells, birds nests, and camphor, which is much superior even to the camphor of Su matra. A great proportion of this precious drug comes from those districts of Borneo which have been ceded to the English by the Soloos. In return for these commodities, the Chinese import every de scription of their national manufactures or workman. ship, and keep open shop, not only on shore, but likewise on board their junks.
The bay of this island is very spacious, and has a gulf in the form of an arm of the sea, interspersed with several islands. The water is every where deep, and is never more agitated than a lake or a river. See Transactions ofthe Batavian Society; Merkzeur dieeiten aus Ostindien ; Valentyn's General Descrip tion qfIndia ; Salmon's Present State of all Nations; Prevost's General History of' Voyages; Oriental Re. priory ; Forrest's Voyage, and Peuchet's Diet. de la Geog. Commerc. (k)