135 



PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND. 



PRINCIPATO CITRA. 



32G 



about 30 miles, and from 6 to 10 milea inland. On the east it borders 

 on the kingdom of Keddah, or Queda, which is dependent on Siam. 

 The northern boundary-line is formed by the river Muda, which 

 separates it from Keddah, and on the south it is separated by the 

 river Krean from the state of Perak. The area is estimated at 160 

 square miles. The mountain ranges in this part do not approach so 

 near the sea as to enter the province, except near the river Jura 

 (5 20' N. lat.), where one of their offsets terminates in the Moratajam, 

 a hill 1800 feet high, the western slope of which lies within the 

 British territory. The coast-line exhibits a narrow sandy belt of low 

 land in the northern districts, and in the southern a broad mud flat 

 covered with mangrove-trees and flooded at high-water. Behind the 

 sandy belt and mangroves there are extensive alluvial tracts under 

 rice cultivation, alternating with gentle swells of light soil running 

 parallel to the coast. About four or five miles from the coast are 

 dry alluvial plains which stretch south and north. The soil of the 

 alluvial plains and rice-grounds is superior in fertility to lands of the 

 lame classes on Prince of Wales Island. 



There are no permanent streams in the Island, bnt several rivers 

 traverse Province Wellesley from east to west, rising in the elevated 

 mountains hi the state of Keddah. All these rivers have ban at 

 their mouths, generally with seven to nine feet of water on them, and 

 they are navigable for moderate-sized vessels nearly the whole length 

 of their course within the province. Between the rivers Muda and 

 Pry is the mouth of a creek called Qua] la Tulloh, which forms a good 

 harbour for boats ; and near it is an extensive village of the same name. 



The dry and wet seasons in these countries are not so distinctly 

 marked as in other parts of the East Indies. What is properly called 

 the rainy season occurs from September to November, but showers, 

 frequently heavy, fall in all the other months. The heat is not oppres- 

 sive, and is greatest in June and July. The highest temperature in 

 George Town is 90 Fahr., and the lowest 70 1. The northern half of 

 Province Wellesley has the more healthy climate, as it enjoys the 

 advantages of a regular change of sea and land breeze*. The rainy 

 season is considered the spring, and January, February, and March the 

 autumn ; in the former period the rice is sown, and in the latter it is 

 harvested. 



Prince of Wales Island derives its importance partly from the culti- 

 vation of spices. Pepper has long been the object of an extensive culti- 

 vation, but of late it has been to a considerable extent replaced by 

 clove and nutmeg trees. The mace and clores grown in the island 

 are considered the finest in the world. The sugar-cane is partially 

 cultivated on Prince of Wales Island, and extensively in Province 

 Wellesley, especially in the central and southern districts; the cultiva- 

 tion in both places is in the hands of the Chinese settlers. Tobacco, 

 coffee, and cotton are only rained fur consumption. A considerable 

 quantity of betel is exported to the neighbouring state of Keddah. 

 The areca raised on the east coast of Sumatra is brought to this island, 

 and thence exported to other parts of Asia. Rice and Indian corn 

 are the only kinds of grain cultivated. The plantains and bananas 

 are, next to rice, the principal objects of agriculture, and in times of 

 scarcity supply in some measure the place of grain. A great variety 

 of fruit-trees are cultivated; and many different kinds of trees are 

 met with in the forests of the country which are applicable to building 

 and other domestic uses. Besides the native vegetables, which are 

 numerous, the Chinese cultivate cabbages, celery, and lettuce. There 

 are many varieties of sweet potato, one of which is much esteemed. 

 Tarns, both red and white, and French beans, are extensively grown. 



Buffaloes and cattle are numerous. The cattle are reared for the 

 dairy, cattle for slaughter being chiefly imported from Keddah and 

 PatanL The black buffalo is most prized, both for draught and 

 slaughter. Qoats and sheep do not abound, but a great number of 

 hogs are reared by the Chinese. Poultry are reared in large num- 

 bers in Province WelUslry. The elephant, rhinoceros, and tiger are 

 found in that province. The elephants are sometimes exported to 

 Madras, and used in the neighbouring states to carry the tin from the 

 mines to the coast They are also killed by the Malays for the sake 

 of the ivory. The rhinoceros is killed for its horn and hide. There 

 are two species of wild ox, and abundance of wild hogs and .deer, 

 are found in great variety, and of great beauty. Fish is abun- 

 dant, and the fishing-stakes afford nearly exclusive employment to 

 numbers of Chinese and Malays. A specie* of sea-turtle abounds in 

 some places, and another smaller kind in the riven : the eggs of both 

 species are eagerly sought after. 



When the English in 1786 took possession of Pulo Penang (the 

 original name of Prince of Wales Island), they found only a few Malay 

 families, mostly fishermen ; but natives from the neighbouring conn- 

 trie*, as well as Chinese and natives from Hindustan, soon flocked to 

 it, and the population in 1836 consisted of ten different nations, 

 amounting altogether to 40,207. 



When the British acquired the coast-line called Province Wellesley, 

 it was very thinly inhabited ; and though the population gradually 

 increased, it did not exceed 5000 in 1821. But in this year the Raja 

 of Ligor invaded the neighbouring state of Keddah, and took pos- 

 session of it for the king of Siam. Upon this a great part of the Malay 

 population abandoned Keddah, put themselves under the protection 

 of the British, and settled in Province Wellesley. In 1835 the popu- 

 lation amounted to 46,880, chiefly Malays and Chinese. 



oioo. DIT. vol. IT. 



George Town is built on the eastern side of Prince of Wales Island, 

 where it projects into the strait, and contains a population of 20,000, 

 mostly Chinese. It is the seat of the Governor of the British Pos- 

 sessions on the Strait of Malacca, and carries on a considerable com- 

 merce. The harbour, which lies on the south-east of the town, is well 

 sheltnred. It is visited by most of the vessels sailing from Hindustan 

 to China, and likewise by vessels from China, Arabia, and Siam. 

 There are sometimes 300 vessels in the harbour. The establishment 

 of the free port of Singapore took away some of the commerce of 

 George Town. The articles brought to the port include pepper, ben- 

 zoin, camphor, gold-dust, areca-nuts, rice, ratans, sago, brimstone, tin, 

 arrack, sugar, oil, tobacco, birds'-nests, trepang, and ivory. It exports 

 to the eastern coast of Sumatra and the Malay countries north of 

 Malacca various kinds of piece-goods from England, Bengal, and Coro- 

 mandel ; cotton, opium, iron, steel ; European coarse blue, red, and 

 green cloth, and coarse cutlery. James Town is a small but thriving 

 place, about a mile from the sea, on the eastern plain of Prince of 

 Wales Island, in a very fertile district. There are no towns in Province 

 Wellesley ; but in the northern more fertile and better cultivated dis- 

 tricts, the higher parts of the low ridges are in some places covered 

 by continuous rows of houses for several miles. The most extensive of 

 these villages is Pinaga. 



Before 1786 the island and province belonged to the small kingdom 

 of Keddah. In the war between the English and French, which ter- 

 minated in 1783, the want of a good harbour in the southern part of 

 the Gulf of Bengal was much felt by the British. The island of Penang 

 was found fit for that purpose, and it was accordingly purchased by 

 the East India Company from the then proprietor, an Englishman, 

 Captain Francis Light, who had received it from the king of Keddah 

 as a marriage-portion with his daughter. Captain Light was appointed 

 first governor, and the sovereignty first of the island and afterwards 

 of the coast, was ceded by the king of Keddah in consideration of an 

 annual payment. The British flag was hoisted on the 7th of July, 

 1786. The country, which at the time of its cession, contained only 

 1500 inhabitant?, including a very few Chinese, was then termed Point 

 Wellesley ; but this not being a very correct designation for a line of 

 coast, was subsequently changed to Province Wellesley. The esti- 

 mated revenue of the government of Prince of Wales Island for 1851-52 

 was about 19,500t ; the estimated charge was about 40,000*. 



PRINCE-TOWN. [DEVONSHIRE; PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.] 



PRINCE WILLIAM'S SOUND is a wide bay on the north-west 

 coast of North America, extending, with several branches, between 

 60 and 61 N. lat, 146" and 148" 30' W. long. It is called by the 

 Russians Tshongathkaia. It opens to the south, and the entrance 

 contains two large islands, of which the eastern is called Rose Island, 

 and the western Montague Island. In both islands there are good 

 harbours, and the largest vessels may enter the bay on both sides of 

 Montague Island. Rose Island contains Port Etches, where the 

 Russians have a factory, and a wooden fort, called Fort Constantino. 

 The islands are rocky and mountainous. The country abounds in 

 pine-trees, alder, and hazel-trees. Wild berries are plentiful. Sea- 

 otters and foxes are frequently met with, and other fur-bearing 

 animals are abundant in the forests. The natives, who are few in 

 number, and called Oogaliakhmutes, live mostly on the produce of 

 their fishing. 



PRINCE'S RISBOROUGH, Buckinghamshire, a market-town, in 

 the paruh of Prince's Risborough, is situated near the Oxfordshire 

 border, in 51 43' N. lat, 50' W. long., distant 8 miles S. from 

 Aylesbury, and 37 miles N.W. by W. from London. The population 

 of the parish in 1851 was 2317. The living is a perpetual curacy in 

 the archdeaconry of Buckingham and diocese of Oxford. According 

 to the local tradition, Edward the Black Prince had a house in the 

 place, from which circumstance the town had its name. Besides the 

 parish church, an ancient edifice, which has been recently repaired 

 and considerable enlarged, there are chapels for Baptists and Wesleyan 

 Methodists ; and National, British, and Infant schools. The market- 

 house, rebuilt in 1824, is a small brick edifice. The market is on 

 Thursday, and fairs are held on May 6th and October 21st. Petty 

 sessions are held in the town monthly. 



PRINCIPATO CITRA, a continental province of the kingdom of 

 the Two Sicilie*, is bounded N. by the province of Principato Ultra, 

 W. by the Gulf of Salerno and the province of Naples, S. by the Gulf 

 of Policastro, and E. by the province of Basilicata. It lies west of 

 the central ridge of the Apennines, and between that and the coast of 

 the Mediterranean, except a small portion which spreads along the 

 eastern slope of the Apennines, about the sources of the river Agri. 

 The length of the province is about 80 miles from north-west to south- 

 east anil its average breadth is about 30 miles. The area is 2261 

 square miles; the population in 1851 amounted to 558,809. The 

 central and larger part of the province consists of the basin of the 

 Sele and its affluents. The Sele (Silarus) rises in the central Apen- 

 nines near Conza, and flows in a southern direction to its junction with 

 the Tanagro, or Rio Negro, a larger stream, which flows from tha 

 south-eat through the beautiful and fertile Val-di-Diano ; the united 

 stream then runs south-west to the sea, which it reaches a few miles 

 north of the ruins of Psestum. The Tanagro is joined, before its 

 confluence with the Sele, by the Rio Bianco, which descends from 

 the Apennines of Muro in Basilicata, At the mouth of the Si-lo was 



