584 Excursions to the Eastward. [July, 



very steep where it faces the sea ; and here the streams of water which 

 flow over the smooth dark granite rock, when struck hy the sun's rays, 

 appear like fleecy clouds wreathing the mountain. 



The formation of this mountain is primary. The secondary and 

 tertiary formations are not easily discoverable until we reach the 

 small islands called the Buntings, which lie nearly opposite to it. 

 At its base strata of laterite, and other conglomerates and accumula- 

 tions of debris prevail. In the deep narrow valleys lying betwixt the 

 shoulders of the mountain I observed tin ore of an excellent quality 

 in the form of grains. The Chinese were making what they called a 

 mine, which was merely a square excavation about thirty feet wide and 

 from two to three feet deep. The ore was loosely deposited below 

 quartz and schistose gravel. 



Suspended from the ceiling of the smelting house w r ere wooden mo- 

 dels of all sorts of native arms and implements intended to charm 

 away evil spirits. 



Jerrei and Cherrei, by both of which appellatives this mountain is 

 known to the Malays, are corruptions of the term Srai which was the 

 ancient name of the Keddah country when entirely peopled by the 

 Siamese race, about A. D. 1340. A commercial colony from the 

 westward under a chief named Marrong Mahawangsa which set- 

 tled near the base of the mountain Srai was the cause of the country 

 becoming a place of greater resort than before that event for traders- 

 from India. The above named chief changed the name of the country 

 to Keddah, but the Siamese continue to call it Srai or Chrai. I shall 

 have occasion in a subsequent paper to state some further particulars 

 respecting the condition of this country in former times. 



8th. Anchored off the mouth of the Keddah river. The anchor- 

 age is good in the north-east monsoon ; but in the south-west monsoon 

 it is a disagreeable if not an unsafe one, the shore being a lee one and 

 the swell heavy. 



The Yokkabat, one of the Siamese government officers, came off to 

 say that the governor would give me an audience next day. I accord- 

 ingly waited on him at his sala or thamoneeup or hall of audience. 

 Phra Phak Dee Bareerap is a young man of about twenty years of 

 age. He is an illegitimate son of the raja of Ligor ; he entered the 

 hall immediately on my arrival. He was preceded by two men carry- 

 ing dap deng or swords of state. These are about five feet long and 

 have red velvet scabbards. On the right and left were soldiers bear- 

 ing dap he which are also swords of state having golden hilts. Princes 

 in Siam have generally twenty sword-bearers on each side of them 



