S U M A T R JU »3S 
Gold, Tkt and other Metals — Beei-wax^Ivory-^Birds-ne/t^ 
Import Trade, 
^3 E SIDE tPiofe articles of trade afTordied by the vegetable kingdom, q^j^ 
Sumatra, produces many others, and among the chief of thefe is Gold. 
This varuable metal is found moftly in the central parts of the illandi 
ttone, except very rarely, being obferved to the fouthward of Lemoon^ 
a branch of Jjmbee river, or to the northward of Nalaboo^ from whence' 
Achsm is principally fup plied, Menangcalow has always been etleemed 
the richeft feat of ir ,* which probably induced the Dutch to eftablifli thek 
head fadtory at Padang^ in it*s neighbourhood. The Malays are fettled 
or aboutj all the diftrifts where gold is collected, and as far as my 
knowledge and enquiries have extended, they appear to be; particularly 
Zt Lscmoon^ Batang aj^, and PacallafJg Jamhoo, where colonies of them 
are eftabliihed; the only perfons who dig for and collect it\ the ori- 
ginal inhabitants, whom, they diftinguiih by the name of crang doofoQH^ 
or villagers, confrmng their attention to the raifing of provifions, with 
which they fupply the Malays who feareh for the metal. 
The earth taken up from the beds of the rivets, fupplies therti with ^^^^^ 
the greater proportion of what tbey procure^ being for that purpofe well procuring ic. 
wafhed and lifted, till the pure grains are feperated and clcanfed from 
the parcicles of mud and ftone. They occafionally loofen the earth of 
the adjacent banks, and often divert the courfe of rivulets, which high 
up the country are little torrents, through ground newly opened for that 
purpofe. In fome parts they dig into the earth in purfuit of the gold, 
which however can fcarcely deferve the appellation of mining, as they 
do not venture at any confiderable excavation. Some of their pits are 
dcfcribed as being of great depth, but this Is probably exaggeration, for 
their ignorance of the ufe of windlalTes and other machines, muft necef- 
farily keep them neaf the furface. The gold being found in a complete 
M lu metallic 
