the interpreter, and Hentig, a merchant who has lately
settled there. Ruppell, Mr. Brooke's superintendent, and Treecher, the
surgeon, live in a large house on the native side of the river. Each of
these European houses has its chatty bath adjoining to it, and this
luxury is indulged in at all hours of the day. At nine o'clock a gong
summons all the Europeans to the breakfast table of Mr. Brooke. When
breakfast is over, they all separate, either to follow business or
pleasure, and seldom meet again till six in the evening, when dinner is
served, and the time is passed away till all retire to bed.

Let me describe the view from the front of Mr. Brooke's house:--The
schooner lying half way across the river is the Julia, belonging to Mr.
Brooke: she sails every month for Sincapore, laden with antimony ore;
and thus, at the same time, she forms a mail-packet between Sincapore
and Kuchin. The large open building, with a wharf, leading down to the
river, is the store in which the antimony is sifted, smelted, and
weighed. On the point near the bend of the river is the fort. It is a
strong building of large timbers, and mounts eight 24-lb. iron guns, in
very excellent condition. This is a very necessary defence, as the
European rajah has many enemies. The building whose top just appears
above the trees is the Chinese joss-house, or temple; for there are many
Chinese settlers at Kuchin, who are very useful in their capacities of
carpenters, blacksmiths, and agriculturists. Sweeping with the eye a
range of dwelling houses built on stakes, you stop at one of tolerable
proportions, which has a platform in front of it, on which are mounted
about twenty small guns, and there is a flag-staff, on which is hoisted
a red and yellow flag: that is the palace of Rajah Muda Hassan. Take a
canoe, and cross over to it. You will find Muda sitting cross-legged in
the centre of it: he shakes hands with you, and offers you cigars and
tea. You will also meet his brother, Bud-ruddeen. You take your leave of
the rajah, and amuse yourself with a walk round the town, during which
you examine the natives and their wives, their customs, their houses,
and their gardens.

With the exception of the more civilised tribes in the vicinity of the
Sarawak, the Malays who inhabit the coast of Borneo are a cruel,
treacherous, and disgusting race of men, with scarcely one good quality
to recommend them. The numerous tribes of these people are separately
governed,