546 On the Local ami Relative Geology of Sinyapore, [Junk, 



which tlit'\ spring are flat, generally only a few feet above the sea level, 

 alluvial and at some places abounding in marine shells of the same 

 species that at present inhabit the straits. The rivers of the Peninsula, 

 although generally small, are exceedingly numerous, and bring down 

 large quantities of sediment. In March last, off the mouth of the 

 Salangore river, the steamer in which I was, passed through a hroad tract 

 discoloured by the sediment. Extensive mud banks have been formed 

 in the straits and are constantly increasing. For evidence on this sub- 

 ject I must refer to a separate paper containing some remarks on the 

 Straits of Malacca and the alluvial tracts along its sides. It is not 

 therefore unreasonable to conclude that the whole chain of these hills 

 from Pinang to Singapore has a strict geological connection. At Ma- 

 lacca hot springs exist, and the hills nearest to them are of the nature 

 before mentioned. We naturally resort to the mountain chain of the 

 interior for the seat of that central volcanic force of which the mani- 

 festations on these outskirts are of so peculiar a character, so wide in 

 their extent yet so devoid of intensity. But we find that there is no 

 evidence whatever of any volcanoes ever having existed in this chain. 

 If there ever were any their fires have long been quenched. 



If we now direct our attention to the southward of Singapore, we 

 find that it is but one of an extensive archipelago of Islands, stretching 

 to the south-east, and which after a slight interruption, is continued in 

 Banca. That the geological chain continues to the latter Island is clear 

 from the account which Dr. Horsfield gives of it. According to him 

 the elevated parts of Banca consist principally of granite, but in the 

 secondary elevations " red iron stone" is extensively distributed in 

 single rocks, or in veins of many united together covering large tracts of 

 country.* This circumstance and the general topography of the Island, 

 as described by Dr. Horsfield, assimilate to Singapore. The paucity 

 of tin ore in the latter arises from the want of granitic hills. Bukit 

 Temah, the only hill yet explored in which sienite abounds, contains tin, 



* See memoirs of Sir S. Raffles, p. 150. Major Court, in his account of Banca notices 

 the gravelly nature of the soil (Court's Palembang). Professor Jameson, in Murray's 

 Encyclopaedia of Geography, mentions the circumstance of the primitive mountains being 

 immediately bounded by a formation of red iron stone doubtingly, and adds, "Crawford 

 who makes this statement gives no description of the formation." From Crawford's 

 meagre notice of Banca I presume he does not write from personal observation, and like 

 Sir S. Raffles, he probably derived his information from Dr. Horsefield's manuscript. 



