CHAPTER XV.

CELEBES.--SOOLOO.

CELEBES, a short distance east of Borneo, is another island of much importance, and teeming with sav. age inhabitants. It is remarkable for the martial spirit, commercial enterprize and piratical atrocities of many of its inhabitants. The most prominent nations are the Bugis and Macassar or Mengasar tribes. They speak different languages, or more properly different dialects of the same language, -the written character being nearly the same. The language of Goa or Macassar is peculiarly soft and easy of acquisiton, but not so copious as the Bugis-the latter having embodied in their vocabulary a greater number of foreign words. The literary compositions in both are numerous. They consist principally of historical details, written since the introduction of Mahomedanism, in the early part of the sixteenth century; traditions of more early times, romances, poetical compositions of love, war and the chase. They have a paraphrase of the Koran, and several works translated, most probably from the Javanese and Arabic; each particular State records its public events as they occur.

In intellectual vigor, and various acquirements, these nations far surpass the Malays, and many other of the neighboring tribes. Here then are advantages

. for missionary labor, which are seldom found among such otherwise barbarous creatures. They have extended their commerce from the western shores of Siam to the eastern coast of New-Holland. Excepting the Arabs, they are the only traders of consequence throughout the Archipelago. They have the character of fair dealing in trade, but are most determined pirates-preying especially upon their weaker neighbors, the Malays, whom they regard as their inferiors. The Mahomedan religion prevails in the south-west, but in the north and central parts of the island they are Pagans, or scarcely have a religion. The aborigines of the island, possessing the interior, are strikingly allied in appearance and customs to the Dyaks of Borneo. They are known by the same name. By the Dutch they are denominated Alfores. The fondness of both for cutting off heads is the same their languages are different.

Mandhaar, on the west coast of Celebes, was visited by Mr. Dalton. The mountains are stupendous, and can be seen at a distance of one hundred miles or more, at sea.

For more than twelve miles along the shore where he landed, the houses almost join each other. The people are in general miserably poor, and live upon the meanest fare.

All the rice which they use, is brought from a distance of two hundred and fifty miles.

None but the chief people can afford this luxury. The inhabitants generally live upon sago, which, though of a coarse quality, grows most luxuri. antly, and imposes no other tax upon the indolence of the natives than the labor of collecting it. Cocoa-nuts of the most delicious flavor abound. For the dis, tance of seventy miles, the whole coast is adorned with cocoa-nut trees, extending in many places to the base of the mountains, half a mile from the shore. These constitute a principal article of trade,-being exported in great numbers to every part of the eastern coast of Borneo, where very few are produced.

Shell-fish enter largely into the common food of the inhabitants. These they take when the tide ebbs. The shore is sandy, and the sea retires at least four miles, at which time the whole population is in motion, following the water as it recedes, and picking up crabs and various kinds of craw-fish. When the tide flows again, different parties get into their small canoes and paddle to their houses. Fish caught in nets,

, is eaten only by the wealthier class, for though very cheap, it proves too dear for those who have nothing with which to purchase it. The

The only articles the common people are obliged to buy, are tobacco and salt, and to pay for these, all the women and children of the community spend their time in making sarongs,* for which they obtain a sufficient sum to procure the required articles, and to furnish the master of the house with a small allowance for gambling. The rajah and his family, and all others who can meet the required expense, smoke great quantities of opium. From the effects of this drug, they are constantly in a state of stupidity, and refuse to see strangers until

time is given them to recover. They sell their gold dust, in which the rajah and some of his brothers are rich, for nothing but opium, muskets, swivels and gunpowder.

Mamoodjoo, the principal campong in the district of Mandhaar, is the residence of about forty rajahs, each of whom has a separate dominion in the interior, although they prefer living together on the coast. Their countries produce gold, of which they obtain sufficient for their wants. Many of them appear to possess a large quantity of the metal, and although cautious in every other kind of expenditure, they willingly bring forth any amount to pay for the means of carrying on their wars and piracies, and to purchase enough of opium to keep them in a constant delirium of intoxication.

From the point of Mandhaar to Kylie, including that place, there are about fifty rajahs, few of whom have less than ten proas, and some even upwards of one hundred. The smallest of these carry one barrel of gun powder—the largest five, beside which they keep a quantity on shore. The large supply of this article in constant demand, is smuggled from Java, and obtained from American vessels, near Penang. Such is the miserable quality of the powder sold them by the Americans, who employ samples of a good quality to deceive them, that it is necessary to prime with another kind; and the muskets are composed of such materials, that you are said to be nearly as safe in being shot at, as in firing them. Still these numerous pirates commit, at times, dreadful ravages. Two Dutch vessels were taken by them in 1828, and every

soul on board murdered. The inhabitants of Kylie are proverbial every where for these atrocities. For the last twenty years the rajah has carried on his depredations in these seas, and besides his other captures has taken many Europeans, a few of whom it is thought are still living in slavery, in Borneo.

Except Macassar, no part of Celebes has been conquered by Europeans. In Boni not a foot of ground has been retained. Waagoo, or Waju, is still less known, and every other part of the country not at all, All the native States retain their primitive greatness, and the most enlightened of them have never been visited by Europeans. The writer met a Dutch officer, who is perhaps the only exception to the above remark. He had penetrated some distance into the interior, and spoke very highly of the intelligence and hospitality of one of the native queens, whose district he visited.

The northern parts of Celebes are inhabited by a number of native tribes, who have never been converted to Mahomedanism, and do not appear to be wedded to any heathenish superstitions. They are strongly attached to the Dutch, and acknowledge them as their superiors and lords. They appear early to have attracted the attention of the Christians in Hol, land, and were furnished with a minister who baptized large numbers, and established among them schools with native teachers. Still this promising field was but scantily supplied with the means of culture, and during the ravages of the French revolution it was quite forgotten by the churches at home. On the arrival of the first permanent missionary of the