358* 
EXAMINATION OP TIIE COAST OP 
thorns close to 3 small Islands where one of Colonel Low’s men said 
lie got the last specimens of coal. On the morning of the 10th. we 
went in the boats to the easternmost of a group of small rocky island’s 
on the mud bank to the northward of the Furlis. It being then low- 
water spring tides, and Colonel Low’s man being with us, I made him 
point out the place where he picked up the coal. I sent my men 
into the water (it being only 2 feet at the time) with empty gunnie 
bags to pick up all the coal they could get before the tide rose. They 
succeeded in picking up four gunnie bags full, but the tide rising, we* 
returned to the Steamer, and on emptying the bags on deck, I found 
the coal was covered on all sides with mud and barnacles. After 
having it well scrubbed and washed, I found it to lie of the same kind 
as that which we had picked up at Tanjong Patong. This leads me 
strongly to believe that it must first have been picked up at Tanjong 
Patong by some prahu on its way to Pinang, and the prahu having 
either got on shore on an extensive sand bank on the east side of the 
Island, or on a reef of rocks on the west side, must, at high water, 
have got into the small cove, and thrown it over board. I am the 
more led to believe this to have been the case, because, 1st. this b<A 
had barnacles on all sides, which was not tlie case with what we piclo® 
ed up at Tanjong Patong; 2nd. having gone on shore again in the 
evening at low water, taking a dredge with me which I had made at 
Pinang fur such purposes, nothing in the shape of coal was to be 
dredged up, on either side of the sand bank, nor even over the spot 
where the coal was found in the morning ; and;, 3rdlv. on the fol¬ 
lowing morning, all the other small islands which are close to, and of 
the same formawon as, the one I have marked Low’s Island in the 
sketch, were carefully examined by Colonel Low, with all hands from 
the Steamer, and no coal could be found at low water. 
I know nothing about geology, and 1 have no doubt that Colonel 
Low will be able to give a more satisfactory explanation regarding 
this coal than I can. At the same time I beg to state as my candid 
opinion that there is not two bushels of coal more to be found on any. 
of the Islands that we have visited; and nearly the whole of the- 
Other numerous Islands that have not been visited (with the exception 
