353 
A GENERAL SKETCH OF SUMATRA. 
5 th.—Malays of the West Coast of the Northern region. 
On the west coast they occupy a belt extending from 
Fasaman to Barus, although the Batas break through it in 
Tapanulih Bay and at some other places. The following 
is the distribution of the Malay population of this tract: 
Ba’iis 
2,800 
Natal 
.. 3,000 
Sorkam 
1,000 
Lingabaya (inland) 
.. 3,000 
Semawang or Tapaituli 
200 
Batahan 
2,500 
Kalangan 
300 
Ayer Bangis 
. 3,000 
Badiri 
300 
Sikilang 
.. 3,000 
Pinang Sure 
Batu Mandam 
2,000 
1,000 
Pas am an 
.. 200 
24,100 § 
Singkuang 
1,500 
Kunkan 
500 
If to the above data we add 10,000* for the number, of 
Malays in the other parts ot the island where they do not 
predominate, we shall have 898,650 as the total pure Malay 
population of Sumatra. 
With the exception perhaps of Lampong,the people of 
which are too much allied to the Sundanese to be ranked as 
pure Malay, the races of the southern region of Sumatra are 
really Malay although with a tincture of the languages, and at 
some places of the blood, of Java. The Malay region therefore 
in its widest sense includes the people who use the Rejang 
or Renebong alphabet. This includes Rejang, Serawi, Pas- 
snmah, Palembang &c, a country having an extent of about 
22,775 m. which gives the whole Malay region a surface of 
79,825 m. and a population of 1,331,650. The distribution 
of the races inhabiting the southern region is as follows: 
Southern Races. 
The southern part of Sumatra may be called the country 
of the rivers Palembang and Tulang Bawang, for they and 
their numerous branches traverse the whole of it, save a 
narrow belt on the west coast X Several civilized races are 
found around tiie Palembang ; on the north pure Malays, near 
Palembang itself the orang Palembang a Malayu-Javanese 
race, on the north west the orang Rejang, on the west the 
§ Franc's. 
* P. Nias alone has 3 000. In the Achineee territories and Palembang 
there must be a considerable number. 
f See my remniks on this subject, Journ. Ind. Arch, vol- n p. 517 note. 
+ Indeed the configuration of the whole island is such that it would be best 
described as a series of river districts, the portion of the narrow belt of hills 
on the west coast behind each being considered as accessory to its m'w, as the 
Malays do in the case of the Musi or Palembang with Banka at its mouth and 
Bankaulu behind its head waters. 
