Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra13141884roya).pdf/63

 VALENTYN'S DESCRIPTION OF MALACCA.

[The following paper is a translation by Mr. MÜLLER, Government Translator, of VALENTYN's Account of Malacca.

A portion of this has already appeared in LOGAN's Journal, Vol. IV, but as it appears that it was never completed, and matter was omitted which some might find interesting, and, further, that the translation was not altogether to be depended on, I have thought it worth while to insert a trustworthy translation of the whole with a few notes.

D. F. A. H.]

The town of Malakka is situated in 2° 20" northern latitude and on 102° 20" longitude, on the Continental Malay coast, which lies easterly of the East coast of the great island of Sumatra, about 8 miles [leagues ?] in a straight line from the opposite shore.

PTOLEMY and the Ancients gave it the name of "Terra or Regio Aurifera," which means "the country rich in gold," or of "Aurea Chersonesus," i.e., "The Gold Peninsula," making it appear at about the 11th degree, where it is joined by a narrow isthmus to Tenasserim and Siam. It is the most southern territory of India.

It is situated on the point of a neck of land, between which and the N.E. coast of Sumatra is a fine sound, known by the name of the Straits of Malakka, or otherwise, by that of the Straits of Sin- gapore, after a very ancient town commonly called Singapura.

It covers approximately an area of 1,800 paces in circuit, or of about one mile, and has a strong wall on the sea side of about 600 paces long, being also protected by a solid stone wall on the N.W. or river side. There is, moreover, a stone bastion on the N. E. side, called Santo Domingos, and there was another wall, called Tipoh, built towards the waterside, and extending to a strong round bastion called St. Jago, now gone to ruins; there were also other fortresses on the S.E. side and two bastions, making it altogether a