Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/98

 that part of the Peninsula, what the journey by Messrs. Daly and O'Brien, up the Muar and down the Pahang, effected for the true understanding of the relations, whether physical or political, which exist between the States of Johor, Pahang, and the Negri Sembilan, in the South of the Peninsula. The journey of M. de Maclay in 1875 must also he mentioned, as throwing light on the unknown Central regions. Of these three journeys, so important to our Cartography, some record should here be made; more especially as no account of them bas ever been published in a permanent or generally accessible form. I have therefore selected the most striking feature of each account to conclude this paper. But it would be invidious not to refer also to certain earlier journeys, viz: that of Mr. Charles Gray (via Malacca, Naning, Jumpol and Pahang in 1825, I. A. Journal vol. VI, p. 369); of Mr. Logan (via Singapore, Indau, Semrong, Blumut, and Johor in 1817, I. A. Journal II, p. 616); and of the Rev. Le Favre (via Johor, Benut, and Batu Pahat in 1846; and again via Malacca, Rambau, Sungei-Ujong and Jelebu in 1847, I. A. Journal vols. I & II). I hope to avail myself largely of these accounts in Part II of this paper, when I treat of the geography of each State; but it is the less necessary to quote from them here, as they are already preserved in an accessible form.

I will however take this opportunity of recommending their careful perusal to all those who are good enough to assist in rendering our new map more complete. I find that a good deal of the information furnished from time to time obviously lacks the advantage of having undergone comparison with the local details collected by earlier writers, and this is a grave loss when the writers are such as l'abbé Favre, and the late Mr. Logan.

I. (Extract from the Journal of Messrs. Dunlop, Swettenham and Pickering, during the crossing from Larut to K. Kangsa February 12, 1871.)

"We started at 1.30p.m.and within half an hour, got into the finest jungle we have yet seen, crossed incessantly by a beautiful clear stream. This jungle was filled with the brightest scarlet and yellow flowers; there were numbers of orchids. After continually ascending till we came to the source of the stream, we began to descend again, following the course of another stream running in the opposite direction. All this time we had been going through a narrow valley, Bukit Berapit forming one side of it, and as we came out into the open, we stood in front of one of the most extraordinary rocks I have ever seen, called Gunong Pondok.