Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume III.djvu/108

This page needs to be proofread.

102 BORNEO father, Jakob Baruch, was a banker, and his grandfather was employed on a diplomatic mission to Vienna. He studied medicine, phi- losophy, and political science at Berlin, Halle, Heidelberg, and Giessen, and then entered the public service at Frankfort. When that city was restored to the condition of a free town he turned his attention to literature, and estab- lished two journals, the Stoats- Ristretto and the Zeitschwingen, at Offenbach, near Frank- fort. These were suppressed on account of their boldness in dealing with public affairs, and the editor was arraigned for circulating seditious pamphlets. He was acquitted, and in 1818, having in the mean time become a con- vert to Christianity and changed his name, he established a paper called Die Wage, which be- came famous by theatrical criticisms. He was a severe and caustic critic of the existing order of things, and lived much in isolation at Frank- fort, Hamburg, and Paris. After the revolu- tion of 1830 he established La Balance in Paris, with a view to creating a closer intel- lectual and social union between France and Germany. His Denkrede auf Jean Paul, re- markable for great elevation of thought, and his Menzel der Franzosenfresser, a fierce satire, are his best productions. Most of his writings are included in his Oesammelte Schriften (17 vols., 1829-'47) and Nachgelaiseiie Schriften (6 vols., Mannheim, 1847-'50). BORNEO, an island of the East Indian or Ma- lay archipelago, situated directly under the equator, which divides it into two nearly equal parts. It is the largest island in the world with the exception of Australia, and possibly of Papua or New Guinea. Its native name is Pulokalamantin. It extends from about the 7th parallel of N". latitude southward a little further than lat. 4 S., and from its most western point, near the 109th meridian of E. longitude, eastward to Kaniungan point in Ion. 119 20' E. ; its greatest length, which is from N. N. E. to S. S. W., is about 850 m., and its greatest width about 680 m. It is bounded N". and W. by the China sea, E. by the Sooloo sea, the Celebes sea, and Macassar strait, which separates it from the island of Celebes, and S. by the Java sea. Its estimated area is from 284,000 to 300,000 sq. m. The northern portion of Bor- neo is a peninsula with an average width of 120 m., trending from lat. 2 30' upward of 300 m. in a northeasterly direction. The popula- tion is variously estimated at from 2,500,000 to 3,000,000. Borneo has about 2,000 m. of sea- coast, in which there are comparatively few important bays or indentations, and no great inlets, but many rivers and small creeks. Along the entire S. coast the shores are low and gen- erally marshy ; the features of the E. coast up to Kaniungan Point, and of the W. coast up to Cape Datu, nearly opposite, are similar. The shores of the peninsula, however, are bolder, being rocky and lined with islets perilous to naviga- tion. They enclose several bays of considera- ble extent, of which the more important are : Maludu bay, which is sheltered by Cape Sam- panmanjo, the N. extremity of the island, and was formerly a favorite resort of pirates ; and Labok bay and Gyong bay, on the E. side of the peninsula, with the Unsang promontory between them, where edible birds' nests are gathered in large quantities for the Chinese market. Off the W. coast of the peninsula, in lat. 5 22' N., lies the little island of Labuan, the seat' of a small but important British colony. An inland range extending from S. W. to N. E., with an average elevation of from 3,000 to 4,000 ft., forms the watershed of the great northern peninsula. At its extremities it curves outward toward the sea, and terminates in Cape Datu and Cape Sampanmanjo respectively. Its name changes, in proceeding northward, from the Krimbang mountains, which form the in- land boundary of the territory of Sarawak, in the northwest, to the Batang-Lupar, and finally to the Madi mountains, whence the region comprised in the kingdom of Borneo proper slopes down to the Chinese sea. The chain attains its greatest height in Mt. Kina- Balu, the loftiest peak yet discovered in Bor- neo, 13,698 ft. above the level of the sea. It is near the northernmost end of the island, and as seen from the coast presents the appearance of a vast truncated cone. The summit, which has been thrice reached by Europeans, consists of syenitic granite, and is about 2 m. in length. Lofty detached mountains are visible to the eastward, apparently at least 7,000 ft. high, and a long chain stretches away in a S. S. W. direction. The main peninsular range is pro- longed beyond Mt. Kina-Balu, and terminates in Cape Sampanmanjo. Apparently uncon- nected with it and much nearer the sea is Mt. Malu, in about lat. 4 N. with an altitude of 8,000 ft. In the central portion of the island, the Madi mountains form a group whence radi- ate several ranges toward different parts of the coast. Of these, one extends from Mt. Berin- gin, in about lat. 2 30' N., easterly to Kaniun- gan point, and a second, the high Anga-Anga mountains, southward to Cape Salatan, the southern extremity of Borneo ; there is also a third range which separates from the Anga- Anga mountains not far from their junction with the central group, and runs westward, as the Kaminting and Pembaringan mountains, until it is broken up into detached masses as it approaches the 110th meridian. The navigable rivers of Borneo are numerous. Many of them are deep enough to admit of navigation by larger craft than can pass the bars which in most instances obstruct their entrance. It is said that on the N. W. coast, between Cape Datu and Cape Sampanmanjo, 23 rivers enter the sea, each navigable for vessels drawing 12 ft. of water to a distance of 100 m. above its mouth. Among these may be mentioned the Sarawak, which has two outlets, its western mouth being situated in about lat. 1 20' N. t Ion. 110 30' E. The anchorage near the town of Sarawak is 17m. from the sea. The Batang-