Borneo and the Indian Archipelago with drawings of costume and scenery

A former midshipman recounts the 1843 surveying voyage of HMS Samarang as it slipped from Portsmouth into the tropical waters of Borneo and the surrounding archipelago. He explains how the ship’s mission to chart unfamiliar coastlines became an unexpected opportunity to draw the people, their dress, and the striking scenery with a level of care rarely seen in official naval reports. The author’s own sketches, later turned into lithographs, aim to capture the true character of each encounter rather than the hurried, often inaccurate illustrations that typically accompany such narratives.

Listeners will be guided through bustling Chinese joss houses, lively market towns, and remote villages where Dyak warriors perform war dances and Malay chiefs preside over ceremonial courts. The narrator’s observations blend the practical challenges of survey work with vivid cultural portraits, offering a rare, first‑hand glimpse into a world that was then largely unknown to European eyes. The blend of personal journal entries and detailed artwork makes the journey feel both scholarly and intimate.