THE MALAY RACE. 



133 



variation in costume," I may have unwittingly seen some of them. 

 They are strict Muslims; and Celebes, appears to be the most eastern 

 point from which pilgrimages are made to Mecca. 



Several Bugis manuscripts are in the collection obtained at Singa- 

 pore ; and a font of Bugis type had been prepared at the American 

 Mission press : but the national literature, so highly prized among 

 the people themselves, remains unknown to Europeans. 



After leaving Singapore, we sailed through land-locked channels, 

 and in sight of the Dutch factory of Rhio, on the island of Bintang. 

 On the following day, we passed several rocky islets, hardly of suffi- 

 cient importance to be inhabited. 



On the 1st of March, as we were entering the Straits of Banca, we 

 fell in with a bark under Dutch colours, that did not pay attention to 

 our signals. On boarding her, the circumstance was explained : the 

 captain, being a Malay, together with all his crew, had not understood 

 the language of a ship of war. Many of the English vessels at Sin- 

 gapore, were said to be likewise manned exclusively with Malays. 



The eastern shore of Sumatra is low; and the land rising very 

 gently towards the interior, presented everywhere an unbroken forest, 

 without any distinguishable signs of inhabitants. The landscape, 

 as throughout the East Indies, notwithstanding the exuberance of the 

 vegetation, was decidedly more sombre than in Brazil. In the vici- 

 nity of the Straits of Sunda, the land becomes mountainous, with 

 clearings and other marks of cultivation, and evidently sustains a 

 dense population; who, I believe, are nationally styled Lampong. 

 We saw houses, also small canoes ; two of which came off at different 

 points; but as they directed their course to the other vessels of the 

 squadron, I was deprived of a view of the inmates. 



We kept near the Sumatra shore, passing islets of little importance, 

 except to the navigator : but we could distinguish extensive clearings 

 on the opposite mountains of Java ; again indicating a numerous popu- 

 lation. On the 7th, having passed Java Head, we were relieved from 

 the confined waters of the Archipelago, and once more entered upon 

 the open sea. 



During our rapid progress through the East Indies, I had little 

 opportunity of noting the prevailing diseases. The external marks 

 were rare ; owing perhaps in some measure, to the concealment 

 usually attending a more advanced state of society. Dysentery is the 

 chief bane of the East Indian climate : " vessels rarely remain any 



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