In 1818 Clunies-Ross was appointed captain of Borneo, a vessel "of 428 tons launched by Richard Hare in Java, which he took back to England with a cargo of spices and coffee, en route disembarking Alexander Hare at the Cape of Good Hope".

Borneo enters Lloyd's Register in 1820 with C. Ross, master, Hare, owner, and trade Cowes.

On 22 October 1820 a gale caused Borneo, Ross, master, to strand on Southsea beach at Portsmouth.

Ross sailed Borneo for the East Coast of Africa and the Seychelles on a whale hunting voyage.

[1] Captain Snowden, of Cadmus, advised Cheviot on 3 July 1833 off the bottom of Japan of Borneo's loss.