254 THE DUTCH IN PERAK. 
Tillis are somewhat rocky, yet in general very woody. The Trees are of 
divers Sorts, many of which are good Timber, and large enough for any Use. 
Here are also some good for Masts and Yards; they being naturally light 
vet tough and serviceable. There is good Riding on the Hast-side, between 
the Island and the Main. You may come in with the Sea Breeze, and go 
dut with a Land Wind, there is Water enough, and a secure Harbour. 
The Dutch, who are the only Inhabitants, have a Fort* on the Hast-side, 
close by the Sea, in a Bending of the Island, which makes a small Cove for 
Ships to anchor in. The Fort is built 4 square, without Flankers or Bastions, 
like a House: every Square is about ten or twelve yards. The Walls are of 
a good Thickness, made of Stone, and carried up to agood Heighth, of about 
thirty Foot, and covered over Head like a dwelling House. There may he 
about twelve or fourteen Guns in it, some looking out at every Square. 
These Guns are mounted on a strong Platform, made within the Walls about 
sixteen Foot high; and there are Steps on the Outside to ascend to the 
Door that opens to the Platform, there being no other way mto the Fort. 
Here is a Governour and about twenty or thirty Soldiers, who all lodge m 
the Fort. The Soldiers have their Lodging in the Platform among the Guns, 
but the Governour has a fair Chamber above it, where he lies with some of 
the Officers. About a hundred Yards from the Fort on the Bay by the Sea, 
there is a low timbered House, where the Governour abides all the Day Time. 
In this House there were two or three Rooms for their Use, but the chiefest 
was the Governour’s Dining-Room. This fronted to the Sea, and the End of 
it looked towards the Fort. There were two large Windows of about seven 
or eight Foot square; the lower part of them about four or five Foot from 
the Ground. These Windows were wont to be left open all the Day, to let 
in the refreshing Breeze; but in the Night, when the Governour withdrew 
to the Fort, they were closed with strong Shutters, and the Doors made fast 
till the next day. The Continent of Malacca opposite to the Island, is pret- 
ty low champion Land, cloathed with lofty woods; and right against the 
Bay where the Dutch Fort stands, there is a navigable River for small 
Craft. 
* « January 9, 1822.—Yesterday morning we were im sight of the island 
usually called in the maritime charts the Dindings, (correctly Pangkur, for 
Dinding is the name of a place on the opposite main, ) and group of islets 
farther south, called by the Malays, Pulo Sambilan, or the Nine Isles. We 
gratified our curiosity by landing on the largest Dindmg. The sea- 
breeze carried us in between this island and the mainland of Perak, with 
which it fcrms a beautiful and safe harbour, running north and south, 
and seemingly sueltered from every wind. After rounding the south point of 
the island, of which we sailed within one hundred yards, we came upon a 
little cove, with a sandy beach, and here landed. The island consists of 
abrupt. hills of a few hundred feet high, clothed with tall wood almost to 
the water’s edge. Except in one or two spots, such as that on which we 
landed, there was no beach, the coast being formed of great blocks of granite, 
the cnly rock which we any where perceived. Tin ore is asserted to be 
found on the island. It is utterly uncultivated and uninhabited; but near 
the landing-place we observed two or three temporary and unoccupied huts 
thrown up, consisting of a few boughs of trees and some long grass. This is 
afamous haunt of pirates, dnd our Malay interpreters informed us that 
these huts were of their construction. In the seventeenth century, the 
Dutch occupied the island as a post to control the trade of the country, and 
chiefly to secure a monopoly of the tin of the Malay principality of Perak. 
