VALENTYN'S DESCRIPTION OF MALACCA. 



[ The following paper is a translation by Mr. Mullee, Govern- 

 ment Translator, of Valentyn's Account of Malacca. 



A portion of this has already appeared in Logan's Journal, Vol. 

 IV, but as it appears that it was never completed, and matter was 

 omitted which some might find interesting, and, further, that the 

 translation was not altogether to be depended on, I have thought 

 it worth while to insert a trustworthy translation of the whole 

 with a few notes. 



D. F. A. II.] 



ABSTRACT, TRANSLATED FROM FRANCOIS VALENTYN'S 

 HISTORY OF MALACCA (ANNO 1726.) 



The town of Malakka is situated in 2° 20"' northern latitude 

 and on 102° 20" longitude, on the Continental Malay coast, which 

 lies easterly of the East coast of the great island of Sumatra, 

 about 8 miles [leagues ?] in a straight line from the opposite shore. 



Ptolemy and the Ancients gave it the name of " Terra or Regio 

 Aurifera," which means " the country rich in gold," or of " A urea 

 Chersonesus," I.e., " The Grold Peninsula," making it appear at 

 about the 11th degree, where it is joined by a narrow isthmus to 

 Tenasserim and Siam. It is the most southern territory of India. 



It is situated on the point of a neck of land, between which and 

 the N.E. coast of Sumatra is a fine sound, known by the name of 

 the Straits of Malakka, or otherwise, by that of the Straits of Sin- 

 gapore, after a very ancient town commonly called Siugapura. 



It covers approximately an area of 1,800 paces in circuit, or of 

 about one mile, and has a strong wall on the sea side of about 600 

 paces long, being also protected by a solid stone wall on the N\W. 

 or river side. There is, moreover, a stone bastion on the N.E. side, 

 called Santo Domingos, and there was another wall, called Tipah, 

 built towards the waterside, and extending to a strong round 

 bastion called St. Jago, now gone to ruins ; there were also other 

 fortresses on the S.E. side and two bastions, making it altogether a 



