BAY AND VILLAGE OF SOUTRANHA. 79 



Macassar, and other islands of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, and occasionally with vessels from the 

 Isle of France, calling here for horses. 



The bay of Soutranha is capacious, but affords 

 anchorage only on one bank, or shoal, of limited 

 extent. From its waters, a view is commanded 

 of the island of Pantar, on the opposite side of 

 the strait ; as well as of a small, elevated, and 

 picturesque islet, named Pulo Batta, or " Batta 

 rock," distant about nine miles to the S.W. 



The Malay village on its shores occupies a 

 level plain, some miles in extent, covered with 

 jungle from the sea to the foot of the enclosing 

 hills, and abounding, near the coast, in swamps, 

 overgrown with lofty mangroves, and retaining, 

 not only the waters of the land, but much also of 

 those from the sea, forming brackish marshes, 

 which are of all others the most pernicious to 

 the health of man. Many chasms, or gulches, 

 torn through the soil, strewn with rolled boulders, 

 and resembling broad and deep roads, intersect 

 the coast, marking the progress of torrents during 

 the rainy season ; but rivers, or any permanent 

 streams of pure water, are rare. 



The dwellings of the natives are scattered over 

 the plain in detached groups, surrounded by 

 cultivated enclosures, or embowered in groves of 

 the Palmyra,, cocoa-nut, and Areka palms. They 



