JOURNAL 



OF 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. &l.—May 9 1835. 



I- — Sketch of the four Mendngkabowe States, in the interior of the 

 Malayan Peninsula. By Lieut. J. T. Newbold, 23rd Regt. Madras 

 Native Infantry. 



[See Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, 11th March, 1835.] 

 The inhabitants of the states in the interior of the southerly part of 

 the Malayan Peninsula, particularly those of Sungie-iijong, or Simti- 

 jong, Rambowe, Jo hole, and Srlmindnti, derive their origin from the parent 

 empire of Mendngkabowe, in Sumatra, more directly, than the natives 

 of the neighbouring states. This peculiarity, with respect to Rambowe 

 alone, has been cursorily noticed by Mr. Marsden and Sir Stamford 

 Raffles. The former, quoting the Transactions of the Batavian 

 Society, observes, that the interior boundaries of the Malacca territory 

 are " the mountains of Rambowe, inhabited by a Malayan people 

 named Mendngkabowe ; and Mount Ophir, called by the natives Ganong 

 Leddng. These limits, say they, it is impracticable for an European 

 to pass ; the whole coast for some leagues from the sea being either 

 a morass or impenetrable forest ; and these natural difficulties are 

 aggravated by the treacherous and blood-thirsty character of the 

 natives." If we give the author of this unpropitious account due 

 credit for veracity, we must, injustice to the Menangkabowes, and the 

 tract they inhabit, acknowledge at the same time that the progress of 

 civilization has been rapid, and the change in the face of their country 

 corresponding. 



The forests are, at the present time, certainly thick, and some of the 

 morasses deep ; but during a recent ascent to the summit of Mount 

 Ophir, and a journey along the foot of the Rambowe mountains, I 

 found neither the one nor the other impenetrable or impracticable, 

 and experienced nothing but kindness and hospitality from the natives. 



H H 



