Summary of Explorations in British North Borneo Author(s): R. C. Mayne Source: Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography, New Monthly Series, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Mar., 1888), pp. 134-146 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1800783 . Accessed: 13/06/2014 13:11 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) and Wiley are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 195.78.108.199 on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:11:10 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 134 SUAIZI.X2YOF EXPLORATIONSIN BRlTISH NORTH BORNEO. that a reallyexhaustive examination of the cotlntrywould be made. It was not necessaryfor him to say muchabout the schemefor a railwayfrom. Maulmein to China. If anybodydesired to carryout sucha line,by all meanslet him do it; but fromthe position in whichhe (the President)was placed, he knewa greatdeal about the mannerin whichsuch schemes were put brward,and he wasbound to say that the criticismsthat had beenmade on the projectin somenewspapers appeared to be veryreasonable and fair. Comparingtrne distance through which the railwayvvotlld passin Britishtelritory with the entirelent,th of the line, it was hardlyfair to say that the BritishGovernment were not doinqtheir duty if they did not undertakethe risk and responsibilityof carryingout the project. For the resultsobtained by Mr.M'Carthy that gentlemandeserved the hiOhestthanks of the Society. St6mmaryof Ezliloratio?zstn Brttzs7 North Borneo. By AdmiralR. a. htAYNE, C.B., M.Pg (Readat theEvening Meeting, January 30th, 1S88.) C'sthe 12th of last monthI attendedhere to listen to a very interest- ing paperby Mr. Daly, describingtwo journeyshe had made in the southernpart of the territoryheld by the BritishNorth Borneo Company. At the close of that meeting, the Presidentsaid it was a pity the Companyhad not done more in the waUyof explorationin that little- known country. As I walked home that evening, I thought that a short summaryof what has really been done geographicallywould interestthe Society,and also shovvthat our very limited staS had really achieveda good deal ill that watr,and the (:hairmanof the Company (Sir R. Alcoo,k)agreeing with me, I have attemptedthe task, trusting in the kind criticislnof the audience. I only hope our territorywill be takeninto considerationby the Councilas meriting their attention, and I will endeavourto show we have doneenough ourselves to deserve encouragementand help. The first explorationafter the Cessions,but beforethe Corapanywas forIxied,was one undertakenby Mr.T. S. Dobreein 1878,at the instance of "several planters and merchantsconnected with Ceylon, for the purposeof ascertairlillgif the land was suitablefor coffee." Ouragents were then only establishedat Sandakan,Papar, and Tatnpassuk. He went up the Paparriver to its junctionwith the Gallamuttai,then up a path by the side of that river for three days, reaching an altitude of 4200 feet, on what he describesas "the main ridge and watershedof the country,which runs from Rinabaluin the north-eastto the south- vest of the island; this main ridge running at right a,nglesto the one llp svhichI had been walking." He remarks,that by climbinga tree he haa a magnificentview of Kinabalu,Gaya Bay, Papar, :Kimanis,and Labuan,with several clearings in the distance. This place he calls " Nygapass,"and he me:lltionsthat the streamson the south of the rid$e flow from it to the south and east of the island,most probaloly * Formap, consult; ProceedinOs ' for Januarv, ante, p. 60. This content downloaded from 195.78.108.199 on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:11:10 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions SU3IMARYOF EXPLORATIONSIN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. 135 to the Einabatanganriver. He describesthe banksof the Paparriver- whicn was 50 to 80 yards wide, and 2 fathomsdeep below the Galla- muttai as lined with coco-nutsand roughly cultivated patches of sugar- cane, hill paddy, cassava,jak, mango, &c.; also large extents of loMr padd--fields,and swampsin which sago, one of the principalarticles of food,is grown. Goodgrazing; and the cattle, of which he saw several herds, were very good; they have no hump. The plain which runs along the seasideis from 10 to 20 miles in width. SIr.Dobree seelns to have had no troublewith the natiyes, except fPomtheir laziness. He speaksof " the resemblanceto Ceylollin the lie of the land, appearance of jungle, soil, rainfall,&c., which is so striking,that in looking round in the jungle st is difEcultto fancy yourself out of the central or southern parts of the southern province of that island." He felt " cer?ain" that landcould be foundthere " which wouldgrow coSeeand would pay," and mentions a forest of 8000 acres between Papar and Benoni,that, bein^,swamp, is all availablefor sago. Mr.Dobree then went to Sandakan,always the chief port,and now also the seat of golrernment.As Mr. Treacherhas only lately returned from there, I will say notlzingof the town of Sandakan,e2]:cept that it lUUSt bear a very differentaspect fromwhat it did when Mr. Doloree visited it in July 1878,and " arrangedto go up cc)untrsa shortdistance with M?r.Pryer." They went 20 Inilesup the Segaliudriver in a canoe. Mr.Dobree afterwards struck into the jungle one mile up the river,and describesit as " very fine, the timber enormous,the biggest I have ever seen, and the soil a rich chocolatecolour to any depth,the lie of the land very easy and undulating.".... The natives say this forest extendsfrom the iEZinabatanganon the south to Kinabaluon the north. He saw wild cattle and pigs, a bear, a:adrhinoceros tracks. On the 4th AUgUSb Mr.Dobree wrent up the Kinabatanganto Malapi,60 miles fromthe mouth, .vherethe river was 200 yardsor morewide, and with 8 fathomsof water. This river has arl 11-footbar acrossthe entrance. " I believe (he says) that the wholeof the Kinabatangancountry is a uagniScentfield for tropical agriculture,"and he recommendsan es- perimentalgardell, such as we afterwardsestablished at Silam. The climateof Sandakanhei speaksof as being much cooler than Ceylo " In a cadjanhut, the thermometeron one occasiononly went up to 899 Fahr.; thi# in July and August. The nights were very cool,and the heat muchdrier. I must conclude(he adds)by repeating,that though not suitedto Colfeactrabtca, the landaround Sandakan and iliinabatangan is the finest field imaginablefor all low-countryproducts." Mr.Dobree then went back to the west coast,and visited the Tam- passuk,Pandassan, and the valley of the Ginambur;and he spealvsof the valley of the Tampassukas containing20,000 aeres of land availalJle for sugar-caneand paddy. " I went (he says) to see one of the finest sugar estates in tlle Stlaits, and, fromwhat I saw there, I believe the L 2 This content downloaded from 195.78.108.199 on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:11:10 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 136 SU3IMARtYOF EXPLORATIONSIN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. soil at Tampassukon this plain to be finer than on the estates I and the saw, Tampassukclimate is certainlynlore suitable for the canestha that of the Straits." On the 20th Septemberhe startedwith Mr.Pretyman the Resident sevenbuffaloes, andtwelve men,for the valley of the Ginambur,which leadsup to the south-westspur of Kinabaltl. He objectsto travellingon butEaloes,though he-considers it better than on foot; it seems the bufalo track frequentlycrosses tho river, and 4;until you have learntto standon the buSalo'sback (as my guide did) while they are swimming, I can'tsay it is pleasant,but it is better than swimmingyourself, marching and constantlyfor a mile at a time througha stinking swampup to 5 our rniddle.7' This alternative,with the of-chance,which existedin those days, of meeting a strong detanhmentof that amiableclass of natives called "head-hunters,"who seemedto be indifferentto whose head they hunted, though possibly preferringa stranger's,shows the hardshipof the explorer in such a country. I regret that time prevents my going more into details of the various journeys and dilatint more uponthese hardships,and the courageand perseveranceof thebrave fellows who carriedthem out,or lost their lives in attempting todo so. The ne2ztday (22nd) they met Mr. Burbidgeand party on theirway frorn Kinabaln,who told them he had seen no virgin forest, thoughhe llad been up nearly 10,000feet, the Dusans having cutdown already and cultivated all the land he had seen, except some slopesof the steep Kinabaluand SadukSaduk to a height of 3000 feetor laore. ZIr.Pretyman and he then went on, but finding no virgin forestavail- ablein the GinamburValley, he determinedto retracehis steps and outin the go Pandassandirection. Finding no tnoreland for his purpose, hereturned; and so endedhis explorations. The nest journey was undertakenbisr the ill-fated Mr. F. formerly Witti, an officerin the AustrianNary, who started fromthe westend of north- MaruduBay on the 10th November,1880, and reachedPapar onthe 5th December. This nvasa long and arduousjourney, ocollpying twenty-five days and coveringsome 150 miles. Passint,well to the ofMount east Kinabalu,striking the head-watersof the Sugut river, flowsinto which the northof Labuk Bay on the east coast,and then westto turning the Padas and Paparrivers, he passedthrough several varying villages, in size, at all of which the palty were hospitably The treated.