BORNEO.
This is land, the largest in the world, is situated to the north of Java, between Sumatra and Celebes, extends from 7° north latitude to 5° south, and occupies about eight degrees of longitude; being nearly BCO miles in length and 550 in breadt h Ths coasts alone of this immense island are at all known, .Europeans having as yet penetiated but a few miles up the rivers into tli e interior. The inhabitants of the coast purposely endeavour to deter voyagers from exploring 'he inland country ; and Beekman, who commanded an English Kast Indiaman and visited the south coast in 1713, remarked, that the many teirible stories concerning the ferocity am) cruelty of the iphabitants of the interior were probably but fictions, invented for the purpose of discouraging travellers and deterring them from farther inquiries.
Hence our Accounts of the natives of Borneo are veiy imperfect. Tlipy must be divided generally into llie aboirginal inhabitants and the settlers on the coasts. The former belong to the llarafcr.is, who, together with the l'apuas seem, to have originally peopled nil these eastern islands, Several triles indeed are enumerated by name ; as the Ic/uhoosin the north,, the Biadjos iu the south, nod tin; OrangTudodc on the north-east coast; but all the relation concerning these tribes corresponds on the whole, and accident.il circun stnncesalone seem to have produced some diversities and deviatious. They nil resemble each other in person complexion and manners.
It is said that in the interior arc found statues and pyramids with inscriptions: all sorts of ornaments and utensils also Arc dug ont of the ground ; and accorling to the account of the Biacjos, Javanese were formerly settled in :lie islands : but all these statements are so *agne and unauthenticati.il, that they lead to no historic result.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MMTKM18540504.2.13
Bibliographic details
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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VI, Issue 140, 4 May 1854, Page 4
Word count
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298BORNEO. Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume VI, Issue 140, 4 May 1854, Page 4
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