ing
day; and I was the midshipman in charge of the boat. We did not arrive
at the city till 8 o'clock in the evening; and it was too dark to
distinguish the houses. With some difficulty, we discovered the steamer,
which was anchored on the main street. We pulled alongside, and landing
the captain and Kuchinians, Adams, the surgeon of the party, and I,
found ourselves in undisturbed possession of the barge.

[Illustration: BRUNI.

(BORNEO PROPER.)

F. M. DELT.

M. N. HANHART LITH. PRINTERS

LONDON; LONGMAN & CO. 1848]

Bruni is called by Crawfurd the Venice of the East; and he is so far
correct, that it is built in the same peculiar way, and is a most
extraordinary town. It is built almost entirely on the water. It is of
great size, containing from thirty to forty thousand inhabitants, most
of whom are Malays, but who, from having so long intermixed with the
tribes on the coast, now style themselves Brunese, after the town. This
town, which is situated where the river forms a wide and shallow
estuary, is built with little regard to regularity. There are, however,
two large main streets, intersecting each other in the form of an
irregular cross. These divide the town into four parts, one of which is
partly built upon terra firma, while the other three portions are
composed of massive wooden houses, built on piles, and just sufficiently
separated here and there to admit of the passage of a canoe. On the
portion which is on dry land is built the sultan's palace, a church or
mosque, and most of the more prominent buildings. It was in the main
street (if such a term may be used), and as near as possible in the
centre of the town, that the steamer was anchored.

When we awoke and roused up it was broad daylight, and the scene was
most novel: surrounding the steamer and the barge, and extending many
yards from them, lay hundreds of canoes, filled with natives of every
tribe to be found on the coast, and dressed in every variety of costume.
From the wild Dusum to the civilised Arab and Malay rajah, natives in
every posture, and decked in every colour, impelled by curiosity, were
crowded around us. Here was a chief, dressed in an embroidered jacket,
sitting cross-legged, and shading himself with a yellow silk umbrella.
There were some wild-looking Dyaks, with scarcely as much covering as
decency demanded, standing up on their narrow canoes, one hand resting
on the handle of their knives, the other on their hips, eying us