86 
SKETCH OF THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 
neath the sea, and, expanding as it does to the west and blocking 
the extremity of the Straits, attests how nearly a junction with Su¬ 
matra has been accomplished. As it is, Sumatra exercises a large 
influence on the Peninsula. Stretching along its whole length, and 
intercepting the waves and the winds of the Indian Ocean, it mate¬ 
rially modifies both the climate and the character of the western 
roast. The broad arm of the sea that lies between them, gradually 
contracting- as the extremity of the Peninsulars approached, and 
there broken into numerous narrow channels by the Johore Archipe¬ 
lago, acquires a peculiar character, which alone serves to distinguish 
the coasts between which it is confined, from those of the Peninsula 
and Sumatra which border the China sea and the Indian Ocean. 
The Peninsula does not present much diversity of appearance in 
different latitudes. Except where the waves of the Bay of Bengal 
have worn into the ranges of limestone hills, exposing precipitous 
and CHverned cliffs, its coasts exhibit no other variety than what 
may arise from the different proportions and dispositions of its 
uniform features,—level alluvium covered with dense, dark green 
forests,—hills isolated, grouped, or continuously ramified, —and 
mountains which nowhere attain a remarkable magnitude. If we 
conceive it divested of the modern alluvial plains and vallies which 
fringe it, and penetrate between the outer hill ramifications, it will 
appear as an irregular zone of elevated land, formed of innumerable 
hillocks and mountains, generally in short ranges and often united 
into systems, the whole connected mass having a common basis a 
little above the sea level, but many on the outskirts being isolated. 
The ancient coast line thus restored will appear very irregular, at 
some places advancing in successive connected hill ranges with val¬ 
lies and coves penetrating amongst them, and at others retiring far 
towards the interior and forming deep bays. Most of the bay?, coves 
and creeks have been subseqenfcly filled up by sediment, producing flat 
plains and mangrove swamps, through each of which the waters from 
the surrounding hills wind, collected into streams. The most ad¬ 
vancing hill ranges are often seen extending like ribs across the flats, 
and projecting at the coast or around the margins of the plains. 
