THE ETHNOLOGY OF THE JOHORE ARCHIPELAGO * 
This Archipelago, embracing several hundreds of islets, besides the 
considerable islands of Battam, Bintang, Krtmun, Gampang, Gallat, 
Linga and Sinkep,t is thinly inhabited by several interesting tribes. 
Some of these have already been slightly noticed by Dutch writers, but 
the greater part still remain, I believe, undescribed. The more impor¬ 
tant tribes are those termed collectively Orang Pe-suJcu~an , literally 
the people divided into tribes. They are all vassals of the King. 
Those of the highest rank, to whom distinct services are appropria¬ 
ted when the King goes to sea or engages in war, are theOrang B4n- 
t&n under an Ulubalang, the Orang Singg6ra, under a Batin, the Orang 
Kop6t under a Jinnang, the Orang Bulo and the Orang Linga. The 
other tribes, some of the land and some of the creeks or sea, are the 
Orang Gilam, Orang Bek&ka, Orang Sugi, Orang Muro, Orang 
Tambus, Orang Mantang, Orang Kilong, Orang Timiang, Orang 
Mn&u, Orang Pulo Boya and Orang Silat. Besides these, there are 
some wild tribes in the interiour of the larger islands. 
Pulo Battam is the first of these islands, forming, in part, the south¬ 
ern side of the Straits of Singapore. Its creeks are frequented by 
prahus of several of the pelagian tribes, and in its forest three wild 
tribes are found. In the north western parts live the Sabimba, who 
have been already described .X In the forest of the northeastern pro¬ 
montory wander a still wilder tribe, called by the Malays of Singapore 
Orang Tr£ng Bumban, from the Points of those names on the west 
and east sides of the promontory. The existence of this tribe was 
first brought to my notice by Mr. Simonides some time ago. I sent 
* This we consider an appropriate name for that extensive Archipelago 
formed by the prolongation of the platonic zone of elevation of the Malay 
Peninsula from Singapore to Billiton. The fact of its being so closely con¬ 
nected geographically with Joliore as to appear a continuation of it, partial¬ 
ly submerged by the sea, and the previous appropriation of the general Pe¬ 
ninsular name Malaya to the Malayan Archipelago, would justify the adop¬ 
tion of the name. But the best reason for using it is the fact that these is¬ 
lands (with the exception of a few of the most southerly) formed the insu¬ 
lar part of the kingdom of Johore from the thirteenth century to our occupa¬ 
tion of Singapore 27 years ago. 
t Banka and Billiton may also considered as included in it. They are 
so geologically and ethnologically, although not geographically. 
i Anle p. 2D5. 
