1882,] 
Island op sumatka. 
135 
by the new Sultan of Palembang, and was then called the Duke 
of York's Island ; the tin of which has long been a source of much 
profit in the Japan market. The Malay peninsula, being the ex- 
treme southeast point of the Birman empire and of contmental 
Asia, is the western boundary of the Gulf of Siam, east and north 
of which is the China Sea. 
The face of the country is very unequal, broken, and irregular ; 
and along its western coast, within twenty or thirty miles of the 
shore, a chain of lofty mountains stretches from one end of the 
island to the other, like the cordilleras of the South American 
Andes. This chain is in some places separated into parallel 
ridges, and though not sufficiently elevated to be covered with 
indissoluble snow, often shoots up into aspiring volcanic cones, 
whose craters are continually breathing clouds of smoke, and 
at times vomit forth rivers of burning and consuming lava. 
Moimt Ophir, situated immediately under the equator, is the 
highest on the island, and has been ascertained, by actual meas- 
urement, to be thirteen thousand eight hundred and fifty-two feet 
above the level of the sea, which is about two thirds the height 
which is ascribed to the most elevated of the Andes, and- some- 
what exceeding the Peak of Teneriffe. 
Between these ridges and mountains are many extensive and 
rich plains, so far elevated above; the low lands of the coast as to 
give them a comparatively fine, cool, and healthy cHmate. These 
plains are esteemed the most eligible portions of the country, and 
are by far the best improved and most thickly inhabited. Many ex- 
tensive and beautiful lakes are reported by the natives to exist in 
the interior of these extensive plains, which serve greatly to facil- 
itate their intercourse with each other. We say, " reported to 
exist ;" for even at this day but little is known of the interior of 
the island, from the actual observations of foreigners. These lakes 
doubtless form the sources of the numerous rivers of the island, 
particularly those which discharge themselves into the straits on 
the eastern coast, and which are larger than those on the west 
side of the mountains, in proportion to the more extensive range 
of country through which they flow. Of these, Palembang, 
Jarabi, Indergeree, Bakan and Battoo, Barra or Barroo, are the 
largest, rising on the east of the mountains, and receiving in their 
course the waters of many tributary streams and subsidiary rivu- 
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