369 THE BATTAS OF MANDHELING AND PERTIBI. 
the slaves, the ladangs, and the hamlets which are generally 
concealed in the accounts of families and kampongs, we may 
bring the family up to 6, and thus get as the maximum 
about 28,000 souls. These distributed over 300 [— 4,800 
English] square miles, of which the division probably con¬ 
sists, will give the poor result of 93 souls to a square 
geographical mile [less than 6 to an English square mile.] 
The naked and flat terrein of Padang Lawas offers no 
other diversity, than the ravines and morasses with which 
it is intersected. The upper soil is of the most meagre and 
unfruitful kind and is seldom more than half a foot in thick¬ 
ness beneath it we soon come to layers of white clay, 
limestone, sandstone and other formations. The climate 
although not exactly unhealthy is extremely rough; fre¬ 
quently we have in the afternoon a temperature of 27' to 
29- and in the night from I4‘ to 15 Reaumur. This heat 
is accompanied by a great dryness, which however, for want 
of instruments, cannot be correctly ascertained. The pend¬ 
ing (a violent wind) which blows over Probotwgo * (the east 
point of Java) can give but a faint idea of the storm, 
which for the greatest part of the year, day after day, bel¬ 
lows from the west over Padang Lawas. Like the mistral 
this wind has a strong dissecating power, cracking the 
ground and in a few minutes removing all traces of mud and 
rain. 
Dollok consists of a single mountain chain, of which the 
highest points rise above the sea nearly 4,000 feet. Their 
pyramidal summits are naked or covered with lalang. In 
the vallies and woods, however, we have a great diversity of 
fertile soils and a powerful vegetation. The climate there 
is generally raw and misty. 
The country of Burutnun owes it fertility to the river of 
that name. H ere the oi ly sawas of the division are found. 
The land consists of a succession of woods, low mountains and 
plains. The climate has still a similarity to that of Padang 
Lawas although it is less rough. Paneh and Bila form flat 
marshy land on the sea side covered with impenetrable 
jungles of nibong ; the climate is hot and very humid. 
Tambusei has a soft climate. A small part is flat, marshy 
and unfertile. The remainder is fertile, covered with wood 
and clayey undulations. 
A single glance at the map is sufficient to shew that the 
natural aeboncke of this division must he sought on the east 
and not on the west coast. All the rivers flow eastward. 
* dee lUr nonce of iliis wind — A trip to l Jr obolingo anle vol . ii p 541 
