MALAYAN ISLES. 



attracted courfc of the waters towards the eaft. 'java^ Cumbavay 

 'trmor, the Molucca iflands, and Nezv Guinea were formed by 

 their influence. At Neiv Guinea the torrent took a foutherly 

 direcStion, and rent into fragments all that part of the primitive 

 world, even to the remoteft of the Society iilands, which, like the 

 train of a comet, fli^w the innumerable remnants of land, moft 

 evident witnefles of its courfe. The amazing ifland of New Holland 

 relifted the force, and continues, more worthy of the name of a 

 continent. New Zealand remzins divided from all the reft ; to the 

 eaft is fea as far as America.^ and remote as the pole itfelf on the 

 fouth. The north part of the vaft Facijic is contraited by the ap- 

 proximation of Afta and America, The crefcent of iflands from 

 Alajchka to Kamtjchatka mark the antient union of the prefent 

 continents. The flood formed from the fouth oi Kamtjchatka 

 the Kuril ifles, Matmay, and Japan, Liqueo and Formofa, the 

 Philippine iflands, the great Borneo, and all the groups fcattered 

 over the ocean to the north-eaft, fuch as the Pelew, the La- 

 drones, and the CaroVmaSy and the range named after Lord Mul~ 

 grave. Such is the hypothetical view of this face of the globe. 

 Sumatra. Sumatra, the firft ifland which ftrikes our eye, bounds the 



weft fide of -the ftreights of Malacca. The equator croflTes it in 

 the middle, and divides it into almoft two equal parts. Acheen 

 head lies in Lat. 5° 33' north, and Hogs point in 5° 5' fouth. The 

 length is about eight hundred miles, and the greateft breadth 

 a hundred and thirty. All the weftern fide is very low, and in- 

 terfedted with fwamps, infulating certain patches flightly ele- 

 vated. A range of mountains runs through the whole ifland, 

 much nearer to the weftern than the eailern coaft. In fome 

 9 places 



