AN» GEOLOGY OF THE MALAY PENINSULA, 
107 
ber to March, the weather is generally settled in tiie Straits of Malac¬ 
ca, and N. and N. E. winds prevail, particularly on the coast of the 
Peninsula, but are not of great strength save towards the northern 
end of the Straits. Breezes usually blow from the Peninsular shore 
at night. The equable character of this season is attributable to 
the monsoon being broken by the mountains of the Peninsula, which 
stretch transversely to its direction. The exposed east coast of the 
Peninsula, on the other hand, experiences the full force of this mon¬ 
soon. The intercourse between the Malays of Singapore and those 
of Pahang, and other places on that coast, in small boats, which is con¬ 
stant during the S. W. monsoon, is now interrupted, and a land route 
occasionally substituted. Bains are frequent and heavy, and the south¬ 
ern extremity of the Peninsula, including Singapore, in some measure 
partakes of the same climate, for the ranges of hills separating the 
valley of the Johore river from the China sea are too low to give 
effectual protection. 
The S. W„ monsoon, which prevails from April to October, blows 
against the northern part of the west coast of the Peninsula, which 
consequently, in some measure, participates in the rainy climate 
which characterises the eastern shore of the Bay of Bengal during 
this monsoon. Further south, is is broken by the mountain belt of 
Sumatra, so that, in the Straits, land and sea breezes generally prevail 
in the vicinity of the coasts, and an equable climate is experienced. The 
Sumatra side of the Straits, and the southern portion of the Penin¬ 
sular, at night are exposed to occasional sudden squalls from the S. 
W. accompanied by lightning and heavy rain, called Samatras . 
North westers are also experienced, but more rarely. They occur 
chiefly in the northern part of the Straits as far as the Arroas, but 
sometimes blow right through them to the Carimons. During 
this monsoon the east coast of the Peninsula, having a leeward ex¬ 
posure, and being, for the greater part of its length, protected by 
the double wall of the Sumatran and Peninsular ranges* is perfectly 
sheltered, and dry weather prevails. 
The remarks in tire two preceding paragraphs are chiefly derived 
from Hursburgh, and based on the experience of nautical men. More 
