BY THE REV. J. E. TBNISON- WOODS. 617 



before we could make a start. The stream was too rapid and 

 shallow to advance in any other way than by poling. It took 

 us from the 27th July until the 6th of August to reach the gold- 

 mines. At about 70 miles, we left the Pahang and ascended the 

 Jellis, and at 60 or 70 miles further reached the gold mines which 

 were carefully examined. I found them to be very rich and of 

 great extent. Small quantities of gold dust were being continually 

 collected by the Malay villagers from the refuse heaps by the side 

 of the quartz reefs The appearances presented by the ancient 

 workings were such, that I concluded that mining dated back for 

 two or three centuries. Some of the marks of operations conducted 

 there have a very ancient appearance. 



Returning down the Jellis and Pahang to the junction of the 

 Seraanten T ascended the latter river for several days, reaching a 

 few remote villages. I left the Semanten river at its junction 

 with the Brentong — a river so much reduced and with such 

 shallow i^apids that this part of the journey was made in a small 

 canoe. I ascended the Bi-entong as long as it was any way 

 navigable, and having examined some poor tin deposits at the foot 

 of the mountains, I returned down the river to Pekan, having 

 been absent about six weeks, during the whole of which time, with 

 the exception of one day, I was coniined to the canoe. I found 

 the Malays of Pahang to be a most interesting and simple race of 

 people. They are agriculturalists, but extremely poor, so that we 

 could scarcely obtain from them by purchase sufficient food for our 

 wants. The coinage in use amongst them is small square pieces of 

 tin. They are of the same form as those described by Tavernier, 

 the French traveller, as having been in use in Keddah in 1677.* 

 The details of my journey through Pahang are of the most 

 interesting description, and I propose to give fuller details in a 

 subsequent account which I hope to publish. Such collections 

 as I was enabled to make confii-med what has already been partially 

 known concerning the natural history of the country on the eastern 



•Voyages de J. B. Tavernier, 2nd partie. Paris, 1677. Trait6 des 



monnaies des Indes. 



