3r6 SUMATRA. 
ing that the fuperior wealth of this place, has occafioned the ere^bion of 
a greater number of public edifices, but without the remoteft preten- 
fions to magnificence. The king's palace, if it deferves the appellation, 
is a very rude and uncouth piece of architedturCj defigned to refift the 
force of an encmv, and furrounded for that purpofe with ftrong walls, 
but without any regular plan, or view to the modern fyllem of military 
attack.* The houfes in common ate built of bamboos and rough tim- 
ber, and raifed forae feet from the ground, on account of the place 
being overllowed in the rainy feafon* 
Manufa£hire«. Thofe few arts and mamifadturcs which are known in other parts of 
the ifland, prevail iikewife here, and fome of them are carried to more 
pqrfedion. A confiderable fabric of a *thick fpccies of cotton cloth, 
and of ituif for the Ihort drawers worn both by Malays and Achenefc, 
make no apology for Introducing k. Imaginez vous une fortt cocoticTS, de bambou*, d'a* 
nana*, de bagnaniei-s, au milieu dc bquelle pafle une alTez belle riviere tome co\:Terte de bateaux} 
mettez dans cert« foret uoe uombre incroyable de maifons faites avec de Cannes, de rofeauxi de» 
econces, ct difpofez ks dc telle maniere ^u'ellcs forrotnt tancat des rues, et tantot ties qiianiers 
ftpincs r coupes ces divers quartiers de prairies & de bots : repandez par tout dans ccttc grand 
for^t, BUtant d'horomes qu*on en voii dans not villes* lorsqu'elle* font bien peuplces ; tohs tous 
formerez une id«c aJTci jufte d^Achn ; ct vous conviendret qu'utie viiie de ce goflt nouveau peut 
faire plaifir a dcs etrangeri qui paflent. EUe me paruut da'bord cotnrae ces payfages fortis de I'i- 
magination d'un peintre ou d'un poete, qui raflamble fouft tm coup d'oeii, tout cc que la com- 
pagoe a de plus riant. Tout eft neglig^ et nature!, champctre and incme un peu fauvage. Qijand 
<tn eft dans la rade, on n^appemjoit aucun veftfge, m aucune apparence de vifle, parceque dcs 
grands arbres qui bordent le rivage en eachent routes Ics tnaifons i tmh outre Ic payfage qui eft 
*res beau, rien n'eft plus agtiable que de voir de matin un infinire de petits bateaux de pucheurs 
qui fortent de la riviere avcc le jour, et qui ne rentfent que le loir, lorfque le foleil fe cou- 
che. VouK diriez un eflain d'abeilles qui reviennent a la cruche chargfi du fruit de leur traTaH," 
Lcttree Edifiantes, Tom. i. 
* Near the gate of tbe palace arc federal pieces of bnfs ordnance of an extraordinary fiz.e j of 
which fome are Portuguefe f but two in pardcular, of Engliffi make, attrait curbGry» They 
were fcnt by king James the firft to the reigning monarch of Achcenj and have ftiSl the founder** 
name, and the date, legible upon them. The diameter of the horn of one, is eighteen inches i 
of the other twenty two or twenty four. Their ftrength however does not appear to be in pro- 
portion to the caliber, nor do they fecm in other refpefVs to be of adequate dimenfions. James, 
who abhorred bloodihed himfelf, wa« resolved that hi« prcfent fliould itol be the inftrument of h 
to^ihere. 
