as an article of commerce. Camphire was long known and appreciated by the Arabians before a European flag had been unfolded in the eastern seas. The camphire-tree is found only on the southern parts of the island; it grows without culture, and sometimes attains to an immense magnitude, measuring no less than fifteen feet in circumference. The wood of this tree is highly esteemed for many purposes, particularly by the trunk-makers, as the camphorated odour of the wood prevents the inroads of moths and other insects. From the interstices of the timber, when split open, the camphire is often taken in a dry concrete state; while there is another tree, of a different species, which produces it in a liquid form. The camphire of this island has always commanded a high price, but is seldom met with in our country in an unadulterated state. A great portion of that which is brought from India is, we believe, procured at Japan, of an inferior quality, being from a tree which abounds in all parts of that country, and known to naturalists by the name of laurus camphora. The camphire-oil, or rather liquid, as it is destitute of every oleaginous quality, is highly esteemed as a medicine by the natives, who use it as we do, for strains, swellings, and inflammations; its extreme subtilty rendering it very penetrating to whatever part applied. It is not manufactured, nor does it undergo any preparation; but is distilled as a volatile resin, from a species of the camphire-tree.

Benjamin, or benzoin-caminyan-is also found in Sumatra, on the more northern parts of the island. It is generally denominated a gum, although from its ready solubility in alcohol, it is more properly a resin. The tree is small, and not suitable for mechanical purposes. In some parts near the seacoast, the natives have been in the habit of cultivating large groves of it, its growth being rapid, and affording a quick return for their labour. Much of this odoriferous resin is used in Catholic countries, where it is burnt as incense in their religious ceremonies. It is also used, we believe, in medicine; and the ladies of wealth in Sumatra anoint their heads with a fragrant oil extracted from it.

Cassia-covleet-manees. This species of cinnamon is found in the interior of the island, and is mostly procured in those districts which lie inland from Tappanooly; it abounds also in Moosee, the country where the Palembang river takes its rise. The trees grow to the height of forty or fifty feet, with wide

spreading, horizontal branches, reaching nearly to the ground. No pains are taken in cultivating it by the natives, or the sale of its bark might be turned to good account.

In addition to the productions already enumerated, there arerattans, cotton, betele-nut, coffee, turpentine, gums, &c.; while the forests abound with a great variety of valuable woods, such as ebony, pine, sandal, eagle or aloes, teak, manchineel, iron-wood, and the far-famed banyan-tree-more properly named by the Portuguese, arbor de raiis, and by the Malays, jawee-jawee. This tree, as is well known, possesses the singular property of dropping fibres from such parts of its boughs as incline to the earth, which take root, and become new stems or trunks. It thus goes on increasing, until one has been known to measure in circumference upwards of one thousand feet—to cast a shade at noon of more than eleven hundred feet-and to afford abundant shelter for a troop of horse. We have seen an account of one of these trees, which waved its boughs at the height of two hundred feet; rising from, or rather resting on, roots, if they may be so called, occupying at least one hundred feet, forming, by the close and singular combination, the appearance of a venerated Gothic pillar. It stood near the plains of Crocup; and, like other monuments of antiquity, has had its period of existence, and has long since been

no more!

Besides the many articles of commerce afforded by the varied vegetable kingdom of Sumatra, there are productions appertaining to another kingdom which claim to be enumerated among the riches of this island. We have already, in a previous part of this article, very briefly alluded to the various metals which are found blended with, or lying beneath, the soil. Gold abounds in some parts of the island, but principally in the centre; south of the Leemoon, a branch of the Jambi river, and to the north of Nalohoo, from whence Acheen is principally supplied. It was the vicinity of these treasures which probably, in the first instance, induced the Dutch to establish themselves at Padang. The Malays are the only class of inhabitants who make a business of procuring the precious metal, either from the beds of rivers, mingled with the sand, or sometimes by loosening the adjacent banks. In a few instances they have attempted digging; but their excavations have never extended deep. The metal is pro

cured in a malleable state, and seldom undergoes any process of refining to purify it for the market, where opium and fine goods are expected in return. Mines of copper and tin, as before stated, abound in the island and its neighbour Banca, where it is said to have been accidentally discovered by the burning of a house in 1710, and was long worked by a colony of Chinese, under the control of the Dutch, at Palembang, who grasped at the whole trade. We have already stated that the island of Banca was ceded to the British by the Sultan of Palembang, in the year 1812: Billeton Isle, which lies about sixty miles east of Banca, was ceded at the same time. This last named island, which is almost a perfect quadrangle, with a coast facing the four cardinal points of the horizon, is about fifty miles in extent each way, and has long been celebrated for producing the fine steel of which the Malays manufacture their arms. Banca had, for many years, been the resort of a numerous horde of pirates, who acted under the immediate protection of the sultan and court of Palembang. Minto, the capital of the island, is situated near the sea, towards the west, at the foot of the mountain called Monophin. There is anchorage in from six to twelve fathoms; a sandy point at the northwest affording shelter to ships from the boisterous waves which roll into the straits from the Java Sca, as well as from the northwest winds, which often blow very hard along the coast of Sumatra during the monsoons. At the pacification of Europe in 1814, Banca was again ceded to the Dutch by treaty.

We have thus taken a hasty and excursive view of the Island of Sumatra, and trust that the reader has accompanied us. We have seen the capacities of its soil, and the varied richness of its vegetable and animal kingdom. How rich, in point of external appearance and grandeur, is the inheritance of the Malay! In the soft and rich teints of its mountains, the velvet covering of its hills, its wild cascades, placid lakes, rapid streams,-Sumatra may challenge comparison with the world! Why has nature been so extravagant?, Why bestow in many parts where human footsteps seldom tread, all that is sublime-all that is beautifulall that is calculated to elevate the mind which is susceptible of noble impressions!

Is it solely for the Malay, the living Ishmaelite of the world, that prolific nature has been thus bountiful? The Malay—

treacherous, cruel, and vindictive as he is-fierce and unrelenting as the tiger of his own mountains, by which he is often destroyed, -is still a being entitled to the sympathy and compassion of the civilized world; and we cannot but pity his condition, even when his vices demand a measure of punishment at our hands. How black and damning would be the page containing an account of his wrongs from boasted Christians, since the year 1510, when Albuquerque landed on his shores. For three centuries, what has been the history of Europeans trading on his coast, under the direction of heartless, grasping monopolies, but a record of oppressions, cruel exactions, and abominable injustice! To the honour of the British name, though her track in the east has, in all directions, been stained with blood, she has ever shown more humanity than either of her former powerful competitors; whose every thought, impulse, and action, appear to have been concentrated in one festering canker-insatiable avarice!

But we leave this picture to be resumed in another place; and from the leafy groves, rich plains, and varied productions, shall attempt a more close analysis of the Malay himself; and trust that the reader will find something to repay him for his trouble in turning our pages.

CHAPTER X.

The Malays of Sumatra-Difficulty of delineating their Character-Their Language, Poetry, &c.-Five different Languages spoken in Sumatra-Malay Duplicity— Effects of their intercourse with Foreigners-Conscious Inferiority-Erroneous Policy formerly exercised towards them-Favourable Traits in their CharacterThe Rejangs-Their Laws, Customs, and Political Regulations-Their judicial Proceedings-Manner of taking an Oath-Rights of Inheritance, &c.-Their secret Hoards-Security for Debts-Punishment for Theft and Murder-Courtship, Marriage, and Divorces-Cock-fighting-Use of the Betele-nut―TobaccoEarly Maturity of Females-Funeral Obsequies-Religious and superstitious Notions The Lampoons-Their Hospitality.

AGREEABLY to our promise made in the conclusion of the last chapter, we now proceed to a closer analysis of the character of the inhabitants of Sumatra. This is not a very easy task to perform, as we find in many places but little indigenous among them. There is also some difficulty in adopting a standard with which to compare them, divided, as they are, into numerous tribes, and presenting, as they do, at each step, in the same tribe, so many lights and shades, vices mingled with some virtues, forming an endless chain of perplexing contradictions.

Perhaps the standard adopted by Le Poivre, Robinson, Richardson, and other writers of reputed learning, is the best that can be given. They agree in assigning to nations various grades; giving to Greece and Rome, in the days of their ancient splendour, the first rank, with which may now be classed England, France, some of the other nations of Europe, and the United States. The second will include the Asiatic empires and Turks, in the days of their dominion, magnificence, and grandeur; while in the third, fourth, and fifth classes, as they are distinguished by the degree of perfection of their agriculture, progress in the arts, science of numbers, and use of abstract terms, may be classed the Sumatrans, in common with the Holoans, and other states of the eastern Archipelago; the nations on the northern coast of Africa; Mexicans and Peruvians before the conquest; together with the Carribs, New-Hollanders, Laplanders, and Hottentots. Possessing shades of character in common with all these will be