ESSAY TOWARDS AN ACCOUNT OF SULU. 
517 
sion, when they established some forts on the island. The view 
also represents the other hills to Beenomaan better, than many 
words could describe them. 
Daltola is a small woody hill, detached from all others', and si¬ 
tuated near the bottom of Bual Bay. Urut , Tandu , and the 
chain between them to the southward, are chiefly remarkable for 
the beauty and diversity of prospect. 
The country situated between the various hills, is not a dead flat; 
but waved plains, cultivated in many places, verdant in all; well 
watered with streams, which disembogue themselves on every side, 
and well adapted for the produce of sugar-canes, grain, &cc. The 
soil is in general a stiff loomy black, or red, mould, though from 
the fort to Temontangis it is very shallow, and scarcely strewed 
over the iron stones, though even this part yields good pasture, and 
woods of teak, though generally stinted in their growth, by burn¬ 
ing the land, which is done here to entice the deer, by the young 
herbage that shoots up from the ashes. There are besides many 
reeds, which would form excellent thatch for houses. 
The husbandry of Sulu is very far from being adequate to the 
natural advantages; for want of a little assistance to nature, it 
often happens that their crops fail them, in a dry season; whereas, 
were they to use the least degree of industry, to collect and pre¬ 
serve their water, they would never be in danger of famine, but in 
wet seasons would have crops superior to now, and as good in dry 
ones, whereas now it sometimes happens a field is not worth 
reaping. 
The aptness of the soil to run into grass, is also another incon¬ 
venience they have to struggle with, for if they cultivate the same 
ground, two or three years following, the grass ehoaks the paddy. 
This prevents them from grubbing up the roots of the trees, and 
the land having been burnt, the branches are left bare without 
leaves, which has the appearance of barrenness at a distance. 
There are many towns on the sea-shore, though inland they are 
chiefly in straggling huts: To the eastward of Sulu, on the north 
coast, Patecule ,* Heegassm and Tagleebee; on Bual Bay , 
Bunbun , Su-ok, and some other towns, Baal, Sapang, Karang - 
Karang ; on the S. E. Tandu; on Baang-Bay, Partebulam; 
Maymbum on the south; Parang, &c., on the west; and on the 
N. W., Senogaan, Kan-gea , Bato-bato , and Matanda. 
Nosa Bale is a small low woody island, close to the point of 
Parang Bay. 
Tidean, a small, though pretty high, rocky island, in shape 
like a slipper. There are here many painted snakes, which crawl 
into their vessels that lye. a night at this island. 
Bankungan is pretty high and covered with wood, but appears 
very rocky and barren. It has a fishing hut or two on the south 
side. 
* Patela l is the name of a hill, the name of the town is Koio-nyan, 
