5a 



S/ielch of the Malayan Peninsula. 



II.— Sketch of the Malaija7i Peninsula.— By Lieutettant Neweold, 

 23d Regt. L. I.,— A. D. C. to Br. Genl. Wilson, c. b. 



Geographical position. — The ]\Irila3'ar. Peninsula, properly so called, 

 extends from lat. N. 80 9' to lat. l°22|N. where it terminates at 

 Point " Romania," or, more correctly speaking, Ramunia , the most 

 southerly land of conlinental Asia. To the north it is connected with 

 the great continent of India, by the isthmus of Kraw ; which, accord- 

 ing to Forrest, in its narrowest part does not exceed 97 miles across 

 from sea to sea. He states that by this isthmus an overland intercourse 

 for the conveyance of letters to and from China might be established, 

 which would obviate the necessity of going round Point Ramunia by the 

 straits of Malaccaand Singapore ; there being a navigable river on the 

 west side, where the portage is but six hours from another river, called 

 the Tomfong, which falls into the gulf of Siam near the Sarchin Is- 

 lands. Natives of this part affirm that a canal might easily be mad e 

 across the peninsula connecting the bay of Bengal, v;ith the China 

 seas, by joining the two rivers. This is a subject well worth the atten- 

 tion of Government. The part of the peninsula actually under Ma- 

 layan sway is that comprised between Point Ramunia and the sixth de- 

 gree of north latitude, where its political power is bounded by the 

 T^hay or Siamese empire. Its eastern shore is washed by the China 

 seas, and its western side is separated from the large island of Sumatra, 

 by the straits of Malacca, through which, and the straits of Sunda, flows 

 the great tide of commerce of the eastern and western extremes of the 

 globe. The breadth of the peninsula is from 50 to 150 miles, and 

 length 450. lis direction, south-east. 



Physical aspect and Geology. — The surface of the Malayan Peninsula, 

 on each side of the primitive mountains that run down its centre, is un- 

 dulating tovv'ards the coasts. It is shaded by primeval forests, stored 

 with treasures to the naturalist and botanist, and a profusion of tro- 

 pical verdure, the result in part of the moisture with w^hich the atmos- 

 phere and soil is charged. Small plains covered generally by long 

 grasses, occur in positions whence the moisture happens to be drained ; 

 while the flats that wind among the low hills are swampy, and fre- 

 quently covered with water to a considerable depth. Where these flats 

 lie in the course of rivers, lakes are formed, sometimes of considerable 

 extent ; as that of ^yaz<^/i, lying near the centre of the peninsula be- 



