Passing this bay, we arrive at the many mouths of the Kina Batañgan river; the first, named Balabatang, is said to connect the river with the bay; the second is Trusan Abai, by which the first village may be reached in seven days. The deepest entrance is Tundong Buañgin, and in certain months, perhaps after the rainy season, it is said there is a channel with three fathoms; but in the dry weather the sand again collects and spoils the passage. It is seldom used, except by very large trading prahus, as it takes them thirty days to reach the first village. Judging by the time required by the Bornean boats to reach the town of Lañgusin, on the Baram river, during the rainy season, we may calculate that with the windings of the river, the first village must be about a hundred miles from the mouth. The Sulu prahus being heavier built, the Bornean ones used in the Baram trade would move a third faster. The first village on the banks is called Bras Manik. There are numerous hamlets beyond; in fact, the Kina Batañgan river is always spoken of as one of the most populous, and by far the most important on the north-eastern coast, and it is the one the Datus of Sulu watch with the most jealous attention. As this is the only country in Borneo where the elephants are numerous, it is the only one where ivory forms an important article of trade in the eyes of the natives. But the most valuable articles are the remarkably fine white birds’ nests and the camphor, which is collected in large quantities in the old forests which clothe the lofty mountains seen in the interior. Wax, sea-slug, very fine tortoise-shell, and also pearls, are the articles that render this trade so sought after. The tortoise-shell is collected on the many islands with broad sandy beaches that stud this quiet sea. My servant once found a packet ready prepared for sale left by some careless collector near the remains of a deserted hut. Turtle also frequent these islands; and one day, while walking along the beach with a blue-jacket, we saw a fine animal in shoal water. He sprang in, and after a vigorous struggle, in which his companions partly assisted, he turned the beast on his back and towed him ashore, to afford, next day, excellent turtle soup for the whole ship’s company. The natives generally despise rattans as articles of export, on account of their great bulk, otherwise they might collect sufficient to load many ships. The principal articles of import into these countries are gray shirtings, chintzes, red cloth, iron, steel, brass wire, beads, and powder and muskets. With opium, they say themselves, they are sufficiently supplied by the Lanun pirates, who obtain it from the prahus they capture among the Dutch islands. Sigama is the next river, and has but a small population of Islams, though there are many Ida’an in the interior.