แ Encyclopædia Britannica ") would have received a larger share of attention, as a higher than a mere historical interest still attaches to it, though eighty years have elapsed since it was written. That paper, the outcome of materials collected in his travels (1804-6) but a few years after his arrival in India, certainly shews throughout, that in that early stage his oriental erudition was more varied than accurate, while, on the other hand, it bears such marks of his linguistic genius as to justify the inference that, had he not been carried off in the prime of his life, after a residence of barely eight years in India, he would have contributed more to advance the scientific study of the languages of S. E. Asia than has been done during the fifty years after his early death in 1811. His collectanea, now in the British Museum-translations, vocabularies, outlines of grammars, philological disquisitions-bear sufficiently ample testimony to his love of linguistic research, his indefatigable industry, and his aptitude for the comparative study of language as a science, to warrant the assertion. To Major-General G. B. Tremenheere, the editor acknowledges his great obligations not only for his courtesy in pointing out a number of errata which had passed from his original papers into the present reprint, but more especially for the valuable additional note which, as the printing of the second volume was already far advanced when it was received, has been placed as Paper XL. at the end of the work. LONDON, Nov. 30, 1885. R. ROST. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. I. Some Account of Quedah. By Michael Topping, Esq. II. Report made to the Chief and Council of Balambangan, by Lieut. James Barton, of his several Surveys III. Substance of a Letter to the Court of Directors from Mr. VI. On three Natural Productions of Sumatra. By the same. VII. On the Traces of the Hindu Language and Literature extant amongst the Malays. By William Marsden, Esq. VIII. Some Account of the Elastic Gum Vine of Prince-Wales Island. By James Howison, Esq. IX. A Botanical Description of Urceola Elastica, or Caoutchouc X. An Account of the Inhabitants of the Poggy, or Nassau Islands, lying off Sumatra. By John Crisp, Esq. XI. Remarks on the Species of Pepper which are found on Prince-Wales Island. By William Hunter, Esq., M.D. PAGE XIII. Some Account of an Orang-Outang of remarkable height found on the Island of Sumatra. By Clarke Abel, M D. 172-78 XIV. Observations on the Geological Appearance and General Features of Portions of the Malayan Peninsula. By XXII. On an Inscription from Keddah. By Lieut. -Col. Low XXIII. A Notice of the Alphabets of the Philippine Islands. XXIV. Succinct Review of the Observations of the Tides in the XXVIII. Second Report on the Tin of Mergui. By the same. 275-84 XXX. Report of a Visit to the Pakchan River, and of some Tin Localities in the Southern Portion of the Tenasserim Provinces. By Capt. G. B. Tremenheere . XXXI. Report on a Route from the Mouth of the Pakchan to Krau, and thence across the Isthmus of Krau to the MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. I. SOME ACCOUNT OF QUEDAH (Pronounced KUddah). By MICHAEL TOPPING, Esq., chiefly from the information of FRANCIS LIGHT, Esq., Chief of Prince of Wales Island, or Po Pinang. [A. DALRYMPLE'S "Oriental Repertory," London, 1808. Vol. i. pp. 399-402.] THE Country of Quedah extends from Trang, in lat. 7° 30' N., to Crean, in lat. 5° 18′; in length about 150 miles, in breadth from 20 to 35 miles; but the cultivated lands nowhere exceed 20 miles from the seashore. From Trang to Purlis the seacoast is sheltered by many islands, and a flat bank lies between them and the main, navigable for small vessels only; the distance between Trang and Purlis being about 24 leagues. The seacoast itself is low and covered with wood. Inland are many mountains, some of which as you approach Purlis project into the sea. The country abounds in rice, cattle, and timber. Eleven rivers empty themselves into the sea, navigable for prows only, on account of the shallows without, the principal of which are Lingoo and Sittoul, where those vessels are built. Purlis has a deep narrow river, at the entrance of which is a small sandy island, on which stands a fishing village, which is protected by a few pieces of cannon. The bar of the river is very long, with only ten feet water upon it at spring tides. The town is situated four or five miles from this entrance, in a valley of a mile and a half in circumference, encompassed with steep hills. The old king, in his latter days, chose this place for his residence, which occasioned many vessels and people to resort here. Since his death it has sunk into its former obscurity, notwithstanding he bequeathed it to his second son, Toonka Mooda, who still resides B here. Poojil is a small province of Paltany, bordering upon Purlis. The islands Lancavy, or Ladda, and Trocklon,' lie west of this port about five leagues. The Great Ladda is inhabited by a race of Malays, who are in general thieves, and commit frequent acts of piracy; these islands are dependent on the Luxamana of Quedah, who governs here absolutely; they are mountainous, have little pasture, and do not yield rice sufficient for the inhabitants. There is exceeding good anchorage-ground on the eastern side of them, of sufficient capacity for the largest fleet, with a plentiful supply of wood and water at hand. On the S.W. side is a small harbour of sufficient depth, but its shores are coral. In a former war the French refitted and masted here, after an engagement with (I believe) Commodore Barnet. The land from Purlis to the mountain Jerry (a coast of twenty leagues in extent) is low and level towards the sea, covered with jungle, which extends between Purlis and Quedah one mile from the shore. To the southward of Quedah the woods grow much broader, and the country is still less cultivated. The principal seaport, called Quedah by strangers, and Qualla Batrang by the natives, lies in 6o N. lat. The river is navigable for vessels of 300 tons, but its entrance is choked up by a flat mud-bank two and a half miles in length, with only nine feet water in spring tides: large ships, lying in five and six fathoms, are four miles from the river's mouth. At the mouth of the river is a small brick fortress, built by a Gentoo, with a few small guns, ill mounted the greater part of the fort is in ruins, so that the spring tides flow into it. The river is about 300 yards wide; both shores are muddy, and have swampy places, which are covered with jungle. This continues for three miles up the river. Half a mile within the jungle the paddy grounds commence. Seven miles on the river, from the Qualla, is Allestar, where the king resides. All vessels that pass the bar can go to Allestar: the river is narrow, but deep; the country level, but clear and cultivated, having a fine rich soil. A little above Allestar the ground rises, the river becomes more rapid, and at length unfit for any kind of navigation, except that of small prows; the channel on the eastern side of the island is very narrow, being not fifty feet across. The king's residence at Allestar is in a very small brick fort, built by his merchant Jomall, about four years ago. The inhabitants near him are composed of Chuliers, Chinese, and Malays. This place was plundered and burnt in 1770 by the Buggesses, aided by some of the king's own relations, since which it has continued in a very poor state; the only trade left it is with Sangoon, Paltany being destroyed by the Siamese. Limboon, on the bank of the river, is about four miles from 1 [This is evidently meant for Trutao (Trotto).] |