46 AN ACCOUNT OF TITE WILD TRIBES 



year (1847), 1 visited the place, and made 

 a circuit of mount Ophir, and of the neif^li- 

 bouring mountains, without observing any 

 of them; I Ibund indeed several places 

 where formerly had been villages, and 

 also many ruined liabilations. 1 likewise ob- 

 served several places whicli bad been for- 

 merly cultivated by the Malays and pos- 

 sibly also frequented by tlie Jakuns; but 

 tbey were then entirely deserted , and al- 

 ready covered witli Jungle, A few Gliinese 

 who employ themselves in extracting the 

 gold from the mines, are the sole remains 

 of a large population of Malay cultivators 

 and of Gliinese miners both of whom a few 

 years ago were located at the gold mines, 

 whicli notwithstanding do not yet appear 

 to be exhausted. This is the efi'cct of the 

 misrule of Malay countries. The melan- 

 choly sight of such places, rich both in mi- 

 nes and vegetation, excites a regret that 

 they are not under a wiser government. 



