Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/91

 a tidal creek. This is doubtless due to the information received that the rivers to the north joined the Perak, which, in the case of the Juru Mas and the Bruas, is very nearly correct." In Dampier's Voyages (Ed. London, 1729) I find three sketches of the Peninsula. Two of these (vols. I and III) are introduced in general maps. But the sketch in vol. II is on a larger seale and is confined to the Straits. It is curions that while both the former represent the Peninsula as widening towards Malacca and Johor, the latter, though ten years earlier in date than the map in volume III, yet gives its true shape. But the names on this sketch are most perplexing, there being indeed but five that can be safely identified,—R. of Quedah, R. of Johore (the only Native States shewn) Malacca, R. Formosa and Straights of Singapore (round St. John's). The R. Perak is marked, without being named, as a great estuary some 5 or 6 miles wide, running for a distance of 30 miles N. E., with islands lying in it of a larger size than Penang and the Dindings. It may be conjectured that this is intended to represent the whole water-system, including R. Kiuta and Batang Padang. There is also the same confusion with regard to a supposed connection between the R. Perak and the rivers to the North, that Major MeNair noticed in Loubère's map; the river Songi-bacoas (Baroas?) is represented as joining the Perak about 30 miles from the sea. The later Dutch map, already referred to, makes the same mistake, probably through copying these older maps. It is at the same time possible that the Breas was once connected, artificially or naturally, with the R. Perak; and this supposition is to some extent supported by the unusual quantity of mud silted at the "Kwala" of that river, which is out of all proportion to the size of the present stream of the Bruas. It is more probable however that the supposed junction of the Perak and Bruas was intended to represent the old connection between Larut and Kwala Kangsa; as represented in the map I come to next, that of the R. Perak by Captain Forrest compiled from his own surveys 100 years later, in 1783, (voyage to the Mergui Archipelago, London 1792.) This tracing gives the lower part of the river very correctly. Col. Low who was sent to Perak on a political mission in 1826 acknowledges that it was by the help of this chart alone that H. M. S. "Antelope," 20 guns, got into the river (I. A. Journal vol. IV. p. 199). Above the Dutch Factory, which Capt. Forrest refers to as being "re-established" at Tanjong Putus, the plan of the river gets much confused. This portion of the journey was performed "in a country covered boat in which the writer went up "to pay his respects to the King of Perak;" and from this point Capt. Forrest evidently found it more difficult to take correct observations. He seems to have met the King at Sayong, unless he