Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/89

 be gathered, from the boundaries assigned to Province Wellesley, that it was compiled by the Dutch authorities between 1800 and 1828-probably during their brief re-occupation of Malacca. This map is almost exactly reproduced, though on a smaller scale and with fewer particulars, by that to which Mr. Moniot's name is attached; a fact which will sufficiently indicate how inadequate such a sketch must be at the present time. But it was not till after the Perak War (June 1876) that any better, or indeed any other map of the whole Peninsula was to be obtained; and I have therefore had a copy made of it, as well as a copy reduced to the same scale from the large map now under preparation. I had intended to contrast them in one and the same sketch; but on second thoughts it will be simpler to keep them separate; and the later, and certainly more correct map, though too small to give many names, may perhaps be useful for reference. It marks roughly the outlines of the Malay States, the mountain-chains, and the river systems, as known up to the present time (1878); and also the routes of the principal journeys in the interior of which we have any record.

Having described at some length the only official map published during the ninety years our Government had been paramount in the Straits, prior to Sir A Clarke's intervention in the Native States of the Peninsula, I may here refer more briefly to what has been done since that time. Immediately after the Pangkor Treaty (January 1874) a party explored the route from Larut to Kwala Kangsa, and thence down the R. Perak to the sea. This may be considered the key to the geography of Perak in the North, just as the common source of the R. Muar and the southern branch of the R. Pahang is the key to the geography of the South of the Peninsula, and the knowledge of the country between the Northern branch of the R. Pahang and the R. Kelantan, is the key to the geography of the Interior of the Peninsula. On both these latter districts much light was thrown in 1875 by the journeys of Messrs. O'Brien and Daly and M. de Mikluho-Maclay respectively. Thus within 18 months of the Pangkor Treaty, our Government had obtained more important information than had been collected during the ninety years prior to that event. I will refer to these journeys at greater length presently; I only mention them here in explanation of the two official maps published in 1876, which mark a great advance in our knowledge of the country. The first in point of date, and, strange to say, the most accurate in every respect, is one which apparently owed its existence to the Perak war. It was published by the Home Authorities in Blue-Book C. 1512 (June 1876) and was "compiled from sketch surveys made by Capt. Innes,