367 the battas of mandheling and pertibi. 
On the other side of the Adian Nagungang we come into 
Pad an g La was which, with the thoroughly mountainous district 
of Batang Onang, is locked to the higher mountains of 
Ankola. Although this little favored highland has scarcely 
any covering but lalang, the ravines and small rallies shew a 
certain measure of fertility ; we are hence surprised that we 
do not find here and there a human dwelling. 
It is otherwise when we have ascended Gunong Tua and 
cast our eye downwards from the summit Sipolpal. There 
we see unrolled a plain without horizon and without variety; 
an unbounded carpet on which the more or less luxuiiaat 
growth of the lalang makes the only diversity, and on 
which not a single living creature appears to move ; 
where a tree is literally a rarity and has an appearance of 
stunted dwarfishness, where at the distance of miles, 
we descry like an oasis in the desert an insignificant thicket, 
or a small strip of brushwood along the banks of a marsh 
or stream ; where a fell scorching wind blows for months 
together and from the numerous conflagrations of lalang 
generally spreads a dull glow, through which the sunlight 
scarcely forces itself wavering and heavy—in a word where 
all nature appears to have gone to an eternal sleep. Such 
is the appearance of Fadang Lawas; as of the greatest part 
of Pertibi. 
During our sojourn in this part it was divided into the 
following districts: 
1st.— Padang Lawas (which means the wild plain) divided 
into the districts of 
a. Batang Onang , with 4 kampongs containing collectively, 
according to the chiefs, 160 families. 
b . Pertibi , 10 kamp, 315 „ 
c. Batang Paneh , 7 3 , 230 „ 
d. Kotta Pinang , 2 ,, 100 ,, or 23 kamp, 805 fam. 
2nd.— Dollokj containing the districts of 
Boekit , 9 kamp. 275 families. 
b . Simenabon, 16 ,, 606 „ 
c. Simassd, 
d, Tambiski , 
4 „ 92 
15 ,, 262 
” or 44 „ 1,235 fam. 
may have any desire to make personal acquaintance with the Battas, that 
they can do so without the necessity of visiting Sumatra, as a considerable 
number reside in Singapore. A small community were recently settled in 
Paya. ’,ebar where they had revived a cultivation previously abandoned in 
this island—'that of rice. A number of them have now taken possession of 
the upper part of Balestier valley,—E d, 
