SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 45 



Thursday the 16th, at day break, was fixed for our 

 departure. 



"Next day was favourable, and the attempt was 

 made. Dr Horsfield and his party were soon over- 

 taken. At first the route lay along rich plains of rice 

 fields, fine soils, and the country intersected with 

 numerous streams, every indication of an extensive 

 and industrious population-; sheds erected for the ac- 

 commodation of travellers, at convenient distances, 

 with an occasional trace of a road. They reached 

 the village of Leman Manis, "a long straggling vil- 

 lage, or rather plantation, on the romantic banks of 

 a rapid river, which discharges itself into the sea at 

 Ujung Karang, and up the stream of which our far- 

 ther course lay ; here, as in several villages we had 

 passed, we observed a considerable quantity of coffee 

 growing ander the shade of the large fruit trees, and 

 contiguous to the houses. Our arrival was welcomed 

 by the beating of the great drum or tabu, which has 

 a place in every village. The drum is peculiar ; it is 

 formed of the trunk of a large tree, and is at least 

 twenty feet long, hollowed out, and suspended on a 

 wooden frame, lying horizontally under a shed; one 

 end only is covered with parchment." 



So far they accomplished the journey without 

 much difficulty, using the acommodations ot the na- 

 tive travellers. Their course continued along the 

 bed of the river, a bad substitute for a turnpike, but 

 almost the only passage in these wild but beautiful 

 districts. Their ascent was much steeper, the road 



