Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

NOKTH B0E^^20. 147recalled by the names of Kina-Balu and Kina-Batangan. The local Dayaks arecommonly designated by the collective terms, Dusun and Idaan. The Bule-Dupis tribe, near Sandakan Bay, appears to be distinguished from all the others bytheir almost white complexion and " European profile." They are regarded asalmost pure representatives of the Indonesian type, but seem doomed to extinction.For their new capital, E/opiira, the English have selected a favourable site onthe magnificent Sandakan Bay, an inlet on the north-east coast, the entrance ofwhich is completely sheltered from all winds, and which ramifies for over 20 milesinland between sandstone cliffs terminating in wooded heights. On the silt at theFig. 56. Sandakan.Scale 1 : 900,000.w-r''^'^^^^'^^^^^oF GreenwichDepths.entrance there is a depth of no less than 26 feet at low water, and shipping canmoor at the landing stage in 23 or 24 feet.In the course of eight j'eai-s Elopura,or Sandakan, as it is more commonly called, has become a flourishing little seaportwith over 5,000 inhabitants, of whom two-thirtls are Chinese. In the immediatevicinity it possesses abundant elements of future commercial expansion— coal inthe hills skirting the roadstead, ironwood and other natural products in the surroundingforests.Large tobacco plantations have been made on the opposite sideof the port, and the sago-palm now thrives in this part of Borneo, where it washitherto unknown.Through coast lagoons or backwaters Sandakan communicates dircctlj- with thel2