we had latterly no sick-list.

"Farewell to Sarawak! I hope to see it again; and have obtained a
promise from the rajah that he will go with me to Borneo, and show
me every part of the country by the way.

"I may here state the result of some inquiries I have made respecting
the government of Borneo. The form of government may be considered
aristocratic rather than oligarchical: it is ruled by the sultan, but
his power is kept in check by four great officers of government. These
are, the Rajah Muda Hassim, the Bandar, in whose hands is the
government of the country; Pangeran Mumin, the Degadon, the treasurer,
or, as Mr. Hunt says, controller of the household of the sultan;
Pangeran Tizudeen, Tumangong, or commander-in-chief; and Pangeran
Kurmaindar, the Pen-damei, or mediator and interceder. This officer
is the means of communication or mediation between the sultan and
his Pangerans; and in case of condemnation, he sues for the pardon or
mercy of his sovereign. Mr. Hunt, in his short but excellent paper on
Borneo, mentions some other officers of state: I will not follow him,
but in the names, as well as duties of these officers, his account
agrees with my information. Further than this, I have not yet learned,
therefore state not; for I am not _manufacturing_ a book, but gaining
information. I may add, however, that these offices are elective,
and not hereditary: as far as I yet know, I am inclined to believe
the election rests with the chief Pangerans of the state; not only
those in office, but others. When I reach Borneo I can procure more
ample details.

"_23d._--Quitted the Royalist at the entrance of the Morotaba,
and accompanied by Pangerans Subtu and Illudeen, set sail for the
river Sadung.

"The town called Songi is of considerable size, and the entire
population along the river may certainty be reckoned at from 2000
to 3000 persons, independent of Dyaks. The country has a flourishing
aspect, but the soil is represented as bad, being soft and muddy. There
is a good deal of trade from this river, and it annually sends several
large prahus to Singapore: two were lying off the town when we arrived,
and two others had sailed for that place twenty days before. The
produce of the country is bees-wax, birds'-nests, rice, &c. &c., but
they seem to be procured in less abundance than in the other contiguous
rivers. There is nothing peculiar about the Malay population, except
that, generally speaking, it struck me,