Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra17181886roya).pdf/236

 row strait, and its most southern point is parted from Java by one still narrower. Java is about 100 leagues long by twelve in breadth. To the cast of Sumatra is the great island of Borneo, through which likewise the equinoctial line passes, leaving two-thirds of the island the north side of the line. The maritime parts of Sumatra are flat, but the interior is full of mountains, pervaded by many large rivers, and covered by impenetrable woods which even the rays of the sun are unable to pierce. Owing to these circumstances Sumatra is very unhealthy, yet is much resorted to for its rich and valuable productions, and particularly on account of its abounding in gold. Besides gold, it produces white sandal-wood, benzoin, camphor, pepper, ginger, cinna- mon, abundance of silk, and abounds in fish and cattle. It has in one part a spring of petroleum or rock oil, and one of its mountains is a volcano. The original natives of the island are Pagans, but the Moors, who came there first as merchants, have possessed themselves of the island as lords, ever since the year 1400. Among the island tribes is one called Batas, who are of most brutal manners, and even feed on human flesh. The Moors, who dwell on the coast, use several languages, but chiefly the Malay. Their weapons are poisoned arrows, like those of the natives of Java, from whom they are descended, but they likewise use fire-arms.

This island is divided into nine kingdoms, of which Pedir was once the chief; but now that of Pacem or Pisang is the most powerful, yet its kings only continue to reign so long as it pleases the rabble.

At this time ANTONIO DE BRITO arrived at Pisang from Acheen, where his brother GEORGE DE BRITO had been slain by the Moors, with a great number of men, in a scandalous attempt to rob the sepulchres of the kings of that country of