THE EtJBUS. 



533 



that already descrit>ed. Other massive rectangular 

 torahs are seen outside. None of these appear to be 

 very old. 



From Palembang to the mouth of the Musi is 

 about fifty miles, and yet there is plenty of water 

 for the largest steamers to come to the city. The 

 ^Musi is therefore the lai'gest river in Sumatra ; and^ 

 Palembang gains its importance fi-om its position as 

 the head of navigation on this river, which receives 

 into itself streams navigable for small boats for many 

 miles. On the south is the Ogan, which, in its upper 

 part, flows through a very fertile and well-peopled 

 region, and which, from the descriptions given me, 

 I judge is a plateau analogous to that at Kopaiyong, 

 near the source of the Musi. This region of the 

 Ogan produces much pepper, North of the Musi is 

 tlie country of the Kubus, who have been described 

 to me here and at Tel>ing-Tingi as belonging to the 

 Malay race. They are said to clothe themselves 

 with bark- cloth, and to eat monkeys and reptiles of 

 all kinds* They shun all foreigners and other nar 

 tives, and are very rarely seen. They appear to be 

 very siniilar in their personal appearance and habits 

 to the Lubus that I saw north of Padang, and per- 

 haps form but a branch of that people.* It was to 

 this place that the author of the * - Prisoner of Welte- 

 vreden came on his filibustering expedition, and 

 was seized and carried to Batavia, whence he es- 

 caped. The open-hearted and generous manner in 



* The total popuktiou of this residency is estiomted at 527,050, of 

 which 132 are Europeans ; about 523,345 natives ; 2,790 Chines* ; 1,716 

 Aral>i* ; imd 67 from other Eastern nations. 



