ON THE ISLAND OF SUMATRA. 337 



cleaners by occupation. The gold is found in a fpecies 

 of earth compofed of a clayifh-red-loam. On digging 

 the earth, it is found to conhft of ftrata (under the loam 

 of the furface, commonly called foil) of irregular fhaped 

 (tones of a mouldering nature, mixed with a red clay, 

 and hard pebbles mixed with a pale red clay, of a more 

 denfe conhltency than that of the firft ftratum. The 

 firft ftratum extends to a depth of three feet and a half, 

 and the fecond to fomewhatlefs. The confiftency under 

 thefe ftrata is formed of either hard rock, or of gravel 

 nearly approaching to it. The gold is found mixed 

 .with a (tone of a hard nature, and capable of fuftaining 

 a polifh. It is found near the furface, and generally ia 

 a foil freeft from folid rock. 



The merchants, who bring the gold for falc, are not 

 themfelves the finders or gatherers of it, but receive it, 

 for merchandife, from the Malays inhabiting the in- 

 terior parts of the country. The native indolence of 

 the Malay difpofition prevents them from collecting 

 more than is fufficient to fupply the few and fimple 

 wants of a race of men as yet unenlightend by civiliza- 

 tion and fcience, and ignorant of the full extent of the 

 advantages of the country inhabited by them. We have 

 not, to this hour, explored a country, which, we have 

 reafon to fuppofe, produces more, or as much, gold as 

 either Peru or Mexico. This may be attributed partlv 

 to the difficulties incident to the undertaking, and partly 

 to a want of curiofity, that, indulged, might have been 

 productive of great national and private advantages. 

 The roads leading to this golden country are almoft 

 impervious, affording only a fcanty path to a fingle 

 traveller, where whole nights muft be paifed in the open 

 air, expofed to the malignant influence of a hoftile cli- 

 mate, in a country infelted by the mod ferocious wild 

 beads. Thefe are circumftances that have hitherto 

 checked curiofity j but perfevcrance, and contrived pre- 

 caution, will furmount the obltaclesthey furnifh ; and 



fuch 



