Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/281

 EUROPEAN NATIONS. 265 would be attended with a more rapid prosperity than ever was known before in the whole history of colonization. Situations of minor advantage may be pointed out in various places of this portion of the Archi- pelago. Penaug is one of these ; and another much superior to it is the island of Sincapoor, cor- rectly written Singahpura, * lately selected, with much judgment, by Sir Stamford Raffles, and situ- ated at the eastern entrance of the great Straits of Malacca, the second in point of importance of the grand avenues to the Archipelago. The natural advantages of this neighbourhood are such that they could not escape the natives of the country them- selves in the course of ages. It was here that the first Malayan colony from Sumatra was formed ; and it was here, again, that the same people fixed themselves after they were driven, by the usurpa- tion of the Portuguese, from Malacca. An in- spection of the map will suggest many other favour- able positions for similar establishments in the centre and eastern extremity of the Archipelago ; but, to specify any in particular, would require a knowledge of local circumstances too minute and technical for my experience or knowledge. In general, it may be said, that they ought to be • A Sanskrit compound Word, mcaiunj^ " the city of tliu lion ;" or " the warlike city."