BORNEO, an island of Asia, in the East Indies,
and one of the three great Sunda islands. It is thought
to be the largest island in the world, next to New Hol-
land; being 1500 miles in circumference. It is seated
under the equator, that line cutting it almost through
the middle. It is almost of a circular figure; abounds
with gold; and the finest diamonds in the Indies are
found in its rivers, being probably washed down from
the hills by torrents. Here are also mines of iron and
tin, and loadstones. Birds nests † are to be had in this
island, which are eatable, and reckoned a great deli-
cacy. The beasts are, oxen, buffaloes, deer, goats,
elephants, tigers, and monkeys. This island has fine
rivers, especially towards the west and south. In
their monsoon from April to September, the wind
is westerly; and they have continual heavy rains,
attended with violent storms of thunder and lightning.
The rainy season continues for eight months of the
year; and as during that time all the flat country
near the coast is overflowed, the air is rendered very
unhealthful, and the inhabitants are forced to build
their houses on floats, which they make fast to trees.
The houses have but one floor, with partitions made
with cane; and the roofs are covered with palmetto
leaves, the eaves of which reach within four or five
feet of the bottom. The west and north-east sides of
the island are almost desart, and the east is but little
known. The inland parts are very mountainous; and
the south-east, for many leagues together, is a stinking
morass, which being overflowed in the wet season is
very unhealthy.
The Portuguese, who first discovered Borneo, had
arrived in the Indies above 30 years before they knew
any thing of it more than the name, and its situation,
by reason of their frequently passing by its coasts. At
last one captain Edward Corril had orders to examine
it more narrowly; and being once acquainted with the
worth of the country, they made frequent voyages
thither. They found the coasts inhabited by Malayan
Moors, who had certainly established themselves there
by conquest; but the original inhabitants still remain
in the mountains, and are stiled Beajus, which in the
Malayan language signifies a wild man. The most
authentic account of these people is the following,
which was extracted from the papers of father Antonio
Ventimiglia, an Italian missionary. He was sent to
Borneo from Macao, on board a Portuguese ship, con-
verted great numbers to Christianity, and died on the
island about the year 1691. The Beajus have no kings,
but many little chiefs. Some are subject to the Moor-
ish kings, and pay them tribute; but such as live far
up the country, are altogether independent, and live
according to their own customs. They are generally
very superstitious, and much addicted to augury. They
do not adore idols; but their sacrifices of sweet wood
and perfumes are offered to one God, who, they be-
lieve, rewards the just in heaven, and punishes the wick-
ed in hell. They marry but one wife; and look upon
any breach of conjugal faith, either in the man or wo-
man, as a capital offence. The Beajus are naturally ho-
nest and industrious, and have a brotherly affection for
one another. They have a notion of property, which yet
does not render them covetous. They sow and culti-
vate their lands; but, in the time of harvest, each reaps
as much as will serve his family, and the rest belongs
to the tribe in common; by which means they prevent
necessity
Bornholm, necessity or disputes. With the Moors on the coasts the Portuguese for some time carried on a considerable trade, and at their request settled a factory there; which, however, was afterwards surprised and plundered by the Moors, who put most of the people to the sword. The most considerable river in Borneo is called Banjar, at the mouth of which our East-India company have a factory.