SUMATRA. 3 



places they are double and treble, with beautiful vallies between 

 each chain ; but, excepting where cleared, both valley and 

 mountain are clothed with fhady forefts. Thefe chains approxi- 

 mate to the coaft on the whole of the weftern fide. At their foot 

 is low, and often fwampy land. 



Some of the mountains are of a vail: height; Ophir, fituated Mount Ophir, 

 immediately under the line, is 13,842 feet high, or two miles one 

 thoufand and ninety-four yards. No fnow is ever feen on it, yet 

 the inhabitants of all the chains are, like thofe of other alpine 

 regions, fubjecSt to monflrous wens or goitres : this malady owes 

 its origin to the water, or the thick, cold, and foggy vapors which 

 univerfally arife from the vallies. Thefe people are not infefted 

 with any particular difeafe, the refult of the tumors ; they enjoy 

 the fame health as others; but the climate of Sumatra near to Bad Climate', 

 the fea, or amidfl the fwamps, is dreadful. " Near Indrapour^ 

 fays hind*, " is a place where no European can venture to fleep 

 '' one night on fliore during the rainy feafon without running 

 " the hazard of his life, or at leafl of a dangerous fit of ficknefs ; 

 ** and at Podang, a Dutch fettlement on the fame ifland, the air 

 " has been found fo bad, that it is commonly called the Plague 

 " Coajl. Here a thick peftilential vapor or fog arifes after the 

 " rains, from the marflies, which deftroys all the white inha- 

 « bitants." 



In all thefe chains are numbers of volcanoes, which are called Volcanoes, 

 by the Malayes, Goonong Appee ; they generally fmoke, but fel- 

 dom emit flames or lava\. I believe no accurate obfervations 

 liave been yet made on their nature, being at a confiderable 



* Eflisy on Difeafes, p. 79. + MarfderC% Sumatra, p. 22. 



B 2 diftance 



