RAT ISLAND. 487 



especially as tlie shores are mostly fringed with coral 

 reefs. The city is located on a low bluif, on the 

 south side of the bay. 



By a treaty with the Dutch in 1824 this terri- 

 tory was ceded them by the English, in exchange for 

 Malacca and the adjoining country. It is at present 

 under a Resident, who is appointed by the govern- 

 ment at Batavia, and is not under the Governor of 

 Padang. The residency commences at the south- 

 eastern extremity of the island, and includes the 

 area between the Barizan chain and the sea-coast, 

 from that point as far north as Mokomoko. Its 

 population numbers one hundi'ed and twenty thou- 

 sand five hundred and fourteen, and is divided as 

 follows : — Europeans, one hundred and seventy-four ; 

 natives, one hundred and nineteen thousand six hun- 

 dred and ninety - one ; Chinese, five hundred and 

 ninety-six ; Arabs, six ; other Eastern nations, forty- 

 seven. 



April IdfJi. — The Resident gave me a large prau 

 to go to Pulo Tikus or Rat Island, a small coral island, 

 about six miles off Bencoolen. On its shore-side the 

 reef curves in at one place, and forms a little bay. 

 All round it, on the edges of the reef, were a number 

 of old anchors, heavy enough for the largest frigates. 

 They had been placed there by the English, who 

 moored their ships at that place, and can'ied off the 

 pepper from Bencoolen in praus. If Bencoolen had 

 a good liarljor or roadstead, it would be an impor- 

 tant pLace, but it has none, and there is no good 

 opportunity to make one. 



On Pulo Tikus we found a few fishermen, from 



