There are colonies of Chinese settled in different parts of Borneo--
whose principal business there is the working of gold and antimony
mines. These Chinese colonial settlements--along with numerous others
throughout the Oriental islands--are under the protection and direction
of a great Mercantile Company called _Kung Li_--somewhat resembling our
own East India Company. In Borneo, the headquarters of this commercial
association of the Chinese, is the port and river of Sambos, on the
western coast; though they have many other settlements in different
parts of the island. Of course, between these colonies and Canton there
is a regular traffic; and our travellers found no difficulty in
proceeding to Borneo in a Chinese junk which traded direct from Canton
to Sambos. At Sambos there is also a Dutch settlement, or "factory,"
belonging to the Dutch East India Company; and this Company has also two
other stations in the island--all, however, occupying a territory of
limited extent, compared with the large surface of the island itself.
No other European settlements exist in Borneo, if we except an English
"agency" lately established at the little island of Labuan; and a
settlement at Sarawak, under an English adventurer, who styles himself
"Rajah Brooke."
The "rajah" rests his claim to the title and territory of Sarawak on a
grant from the Sultan of Borneo (Bruni); and the _quid pro quo_ which he
professes to have given, was the having assisted the said Sultan in
putting down the "Dyak pirates!" This is the pretence hitherto put
forth to the British public; but on a closer inquiry into the facts of
this transaction, the story assumes quite a different colour; and it
would rather appear, that, instead of assisting to put down piracy in
the Bornean waters, the first act of the philanthropic Englishman was to
assist the Malay Sultan in enslaving several tribes of inoffensive
Dyaks, and forcing them to work without pay in the mines of antimony!
This appears to have been the nature of the services that purchased
Sarawak. It was, in fact, aiding the pirates, instead of putting them
down: since the Bornean Sultan was himself the actual patron and
protector of these sea robbers, instead of being their enemy!
The patriot and statesman Hume endeavoured to procure an inquiry into
these acts of Oriental _filibusterism_; but the underhand influence of
an unprincipled Administration, backed by an interested commercial
clamour, was too strong for him; and the shameful usurpation has been
justified.
Notwithstanding that Europeans have been settled for hundreds of years
in the islands of the Indian Archipelago--ruling them, as we may almost
say--it is astonishing how little is yet known of the great island of
Borneo. Only its coasts have been traced, and these very imperfectly.
The Dutch have made one or two expeditions into the interior; but much
knowledge need not be expected from such trading hucksters as they.
Their energies in the East have been expended throughout a period of two
centuries, with no other apparent object than to promote dissension,
wherever it was possible; and to annihilate every spark of freedom or
nobility among the races who have had the misfortune to come in contact
with them.
Notwithstanding their opportunities, they have done little to add to our
knowledge of Borneo--which was about as well-known a hundred years ago
as it is at the present hour.--Never was a subject more ripe for
illustration than this magnificent island. It courts a monograph--such
as has been given to Sumatra by Marsden, by Tennant to Ceylon, and to
Java by Sir Stamford Raffles. Perhaps some one of my young readers may
become the author of that monograph?
Teeming with the most gorgeous forms of tropical life--so rich in
_fauna_ and _flora_, that it might be almost regarded as a great
zoological and botanical garden combined--it will well repay the
scientific explorer, who may scarce find such another field on the face
of the earth.
Our young hunters, in contemplating the grand tropical scenery of
Borneo, were filled with admiration. The _sylva_ was quite equal to
anything they had witnessed on the Amazon; while the _fauna_--especially
in quadrupeds and _quadrumana_--was far richer.
To one quadruped was their attention more especially directed; and I
need hardly say that this was the Bornean bear--by far the most
beautiful animal of the whole Bruin family. The Bornean bear is also
the smallest of the family--in size, being even less than his near
congener, the Malayan bear; though resembling the latter in many
particulars. His fur is a jet black, with a muzzle of an orange-yellow
colour, and a disc of still deeper orange upon the breast, bearing a
certain resemblance to the figure of a heart. The hair is thickly and
evenly set over his whole body--presenting the same uniform surface
which characterises the black bear of North America, the two species of
South America, and also his Malayan cousin--who inhabits the
neighbouring islands of Sumatra and Java. For the latter, indeed, he is
often taken; and many naturalists consider them as one species--though
this is certainly an error. The Bornean bear is not only much less in
bulk; but the deep orange-colour on his breast offers a permanent mark
of distinction. In the Malayan bear there is also a marking on the
breast; but it is of half-moon shape and whitish colour. Besides, the
colour of the muzzle in the latter species is only _yellowish_, not
_yellow_; and the animal altogether is far from being so handsome as the
bear of Borneo.
Dr Horsfield, who had good opportunities of observing them both, has
pointed out other essential characteristics, which prove conclusively
that they are separate species; but the Doctor, guided by his love for
generic distinctions, could not rest satisfied, without further
ornamenting his task--by constituting for them a new genus, under the
title of _Helarctos_. There is no reason whatever for this inundation
of generic names. It has served no good purpose; but, on the contrary,
renders the study of natural history more complicated and obscure; and
to no family of animals do these remarks more pointedly apply, than to
that of the bears. So similar are all these quadrupeds to one another--
so perfect is the _family likeness_ between them--that to separate them
into different genera is a mere pedantic conceit of the anatomists.
There are about a dozen species in all; and the systematic naturalists--
who do not even admit that number--have formed for the bears nearly as
many genera as there are species,--among which may be mentioned the
ridiculous titles of _Prochilus, Melursus, Helarctos_, and the like.
The Bornean bear is as much a true species of _ursus_ as either the
brown bear of Europe, the black bear of North America, or the black
bears of the Cordilleras; and, indeed, to these last his habits
assimilate him very closely--being, like them, a vegetarian in his diet,
and a great lover of sweets.
Of his _penchant_ for honey our young hunters had proof: for, it was
while actually engaged in plundering a hive they first saw the Bornean
bear. They were at the same time successful in effecting his capture--
which is now to be described.