SUMATRA. 
49 
few fimple revolution?. In regions lefs mild this original motive to in* 
dujftry and ingenuity, carries men to greater lengths, m the applicai- 
tion of arts to the occafions of life; and which of courfe, in an equal 
fpace of time^ attain to greater perfedion, than among the inhabitants 
of the tropical latitudes, who find their immediate wants fupplied 
with facility, and beyoiKi what thefe require, prefer fimple inaction, to 
convenience procured by labor* This confideration may perhaps tend to 
reconcile the high antiquity univerfally allowed to Afiatic nations, with 
the limited progrefs of arts and fciences among them ; in which they arc 
manifeftly furpalTed by people who, compared with them, are but of 
very recent date. 
The Sumatrans, however, in the conftruiftion of their habitation^ 
have flept many degrees beyond thofe rude contrivances, which writers 
deferibe the inhabitants of fome other Indian countries, to have been 
contented with adopting, in order to fcreen themfelves from the imme-- 
diate influence of fur rounding elements. Their houfes are not only fub*- 
itantial, but convenicnr, and are built in the vicinity of each other, 
that they may enjoy the advantages of mutual afiaftance and protections, 
refulting from a ftate of fociety. 
The doofoons or villages; for the fmall number of inhabitants afifem- 
bled in each does not entitle them to the appellations of towns; are 
always fituated on the banks of a river nr lake, for the convenience of 
bathing, and of tranfporting goods. An eminence difficult of afcent^ 
is ufually made choice of, for fecurity. The accefs to them is by foot- 
ways, narrow and winding, of which there are feldom more than two; 
one to the country, and the other to the water,- the latter in moft places 
fo fieep, as to render it neceffary to cut fteps in the cliff or rock, The 
doofoons being furrounded with abundance of fruit trees; fome of con- 
fiderable height, xhc doorem^ coco 2ind tetd-nuti and the neighbour^ 
ing country, for a little fpace about, being in fome degree cleared of 
wood, for the rice and pepper plantations; they ftrike the eye at a df- 
ftance as clumps merely, exhibiting no af^earance of a town or any place 
0 
