MISCELLANEOUS NOTTCEg. 229 



planted as I was assured without Chinese help. But Chinese 

 were there too, both planting and acting as carriers. Altogether 

 I agree with Mr. Swettenham's remark that Rambau has the 

 largest Malay population of any of the Negri Sombilau ; and 

 I should not describe it as unprugressive, for in an agriculture 

 point of view it shows signs of progress, both of a more pro- 

 mising character, and more independent of extraneous influences, 

 than can be found in most of the other Malay States near our 

 Settlements. 



"The second night was passed at Mesjid Nerasa, where 

 the Datu of Rambau lives, near Bandar. From there, 

 after twice crossing the river (which is here a fine fresh rapid 

 stream, excellent for bathing, with a sandy bottom, and said 

 to be above the reach of aligators) we had a long walk to 

 Briso near the Malacca frontier ; and eventually reached A lor 

 Gajah in time for an afternoon meal, and so on to Malacca in 

 the evening of the third day. It was on the whole a very 

 pleasant and interesting journey, which [ can safely recom- 

 mend to others as a sufficiently easy overland route of 3 days 

 from Sungei Ujong to Malacca, and a pleasant variation of the 

 somewhat monotonous two days' journey by way of Linsom 

 and the River Linggi." 



" Some discussion ensued as to the customs of Rambau, 

 from which it appeared that the tribal forms of Society and 

 Government still flourish there, while in the neighbouring 

 States they have been greatly modified ; the causes suggested 

 being the comparative isolation of Rambau, the absence of 

 Chinese, and its unique geographical situation, placed as it is 

 neither at the mouth nor at the source of any important 

 stream.' 7 



The Minerals of Sarawak. 



By A. Hart Everett, (late) Sarawak Government Service. 

 (See Journal /. 1878.) 



The paper on the distribution of the Minerals of Sarawak, 

 which appeared in the first issue of this Journal, had left my 

 hands several years past, and as I was not aware of its intended 

 publication, it is now scarcely up to date in some few particu- 

 lars. By the courtesy of the Editor I am enabled to supply 

 these deficiencies by the present note. 



Manganese. — Lundu and Rejang must be added to the loca- 

 lities already given for this Mineral. In the first named 



