A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.

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they did not care to provoke 'him, he being mifchievous enough of himfelf. I a ikedthem in what lhape he did appear to them; they anfwered, like a flame of fire, andthat they only fee him in the woods. This convinced me that what they take for thedevil is only what we call in the country, Will in the wifp, or Jack-a-lantern, feenchiefly in fuch fwampy wet grounds.

Thus much and more they retain of their Pagan cuftoms. As to what they hold ofthe Mahometan religion, which is what they pretend to profefs, I know that, they allowpolygamy ; they keep Friday as a fabbath, and fall all the Bairam, as other Mahometansdo, in the day-time, and make great illuminations and feaftings in the night only. Someare fo ftrid that during the Bairam time, they will not fwallow fo much as their fpittlein the day. They fay their women have no fouls, but die like beafhs ; and that theyare only dertgned by God to gratify men’s appetite; for which reafons the women arenever fullered to ufe any divine worlhip. Some of the wifeft of them have not fuchaverfion for Chriftianity as other Mahometans, who generally are proferted enemiesto it: but thefe fpeak very refpedfully of Jefus Chrift, and fay that he was a greatprophet. They believe that Adam was the firft man; that the world was once drowned,which they have great reafon to do, feeing yearly fuch great deluges in their owncountry; and that there are people in the world, though none amongft them,that they call Oran Moofa (meaning the Jews ), who they fay follow only the law ofMofes, rejecting the dodrine of both Mahomet and Jefus.

I cannot think it would be a difficult matter to eftablifh the Chrirtian religion amongthem. It is true, the Romifh miffioners attempted it formerly; but after makingmany profelytes they ruined their own defign, and loft their lives by their own obfti-nacy and indifcreet zeal. Cay Deponattee, a man of the greateft charader of probityamong them, told me, that feveral years ago there came into thofe parts a Portuguefepadre, or monk, who by his courteous behaviour and endearing ways had gained agreat many to the Chrirtian religion, but not content to preach among them, he muffneeds venture up into the country among the barbarous inland people, called Byajos,by whom he was cruelly murdered. That fome few years ago (it being long afterthe former was dead), there came another who fpoke the language as well as if hewere a native of that country ; that by his prefents, particularly of linen, and his fhewof having fo little value for money, affuring them that his voyage thither was not out ofany motive of worldly intereft, but to fave their fouls, he infinuated himfelf mightily intotheir favour, and made great progrefs whilft among the Banjareens ; but that afterfome time he told them that the fpirit of his deceafed brother had appeared to him,when in his own country, acquainting him how he was flain up in the inland country,and ordering him to come thither ; that accordingly he was then come, and muft goto the place where his brother was murdered. The Banjareens had great love andrefpecl for him, and ufed all means to diffuade him; and particularly this Cay Depo-nattee, who is my author, and was very intimate with him, prefied him extremely notto venture himfelf, for that he could expect nothing among fuch barbarous people butto meet with the fame fate as the former had. However, all was in vain, for he wasrefolved to go ; and faid, that if they put him to death he would glory in his fuffer-ings. Accordingly, he went and made many profelytes, who built him a church, andwere ready even to worlhip him ; till at laft they began to be difcontented and murmurat the great expence he had put them to in adorning their church with gold, &c. andmore efpecially becaufe he had not performed his promife of lhewing them all theirdeceafed friends; whom indeed he promifed they Ihould fee in the other world, but. they