REPORT ON THE I STAND OF BANKA. 
303 
names of the Residents or commercial agents are enumerated in re¬ 
gular succession from the year 1616 at Jamb! and 1620 at Plero- 
bang. The former place was abandoned about the middle of the 
last century; at the latter place the succession continued uninter¬ 
rupted to that event which terminated the empire of the Dutch int 
East India, the conquest of Java and its dependencies. 
The productions which directed the attention of the Dutcli to Su¬ 
matra are enumerated by Valentyn with his usual accuracy, gold, 
pepper, camphor, oil of camphor, benzoin, sap pan-wood, tortoise¬ 
shell, amber, dragons’ blood and rattans were obtained at the differ¬ 
ent Settlements. Tin is mentioned as a production of the peninsula 
of Malaka that was not known to exist in any of the districts or 
dependencies of Sumatra. 
Banka afforded to its sovereign at this period ebony and embaloo 
wood, bees-wax and honey, white and black resin (damar of the 
Malays) with other productions of equal insignificance, which were 
received as an acknowledgment of the submission of the inhabitants 
more than on account of their value ; the mines which have lately 
given a general celebrity to this island were not discovered till after 
the commencement of the 18th century. 
The events of an island of so little importance in former times 
present nothing memorable for historical detail. The most ancient 
race of inhabitants have at the present period scarcely attained the 
first grade of civilization, and have not recorded its history. But a 
tradition has been preserved among them that Banka was formerly 
under the dominion of Java, and the places are still pointed out 
where the sovereigns resided. They occupied considerable tracts 
along the western coast, and the principal establishments were at 
Kuttowaringin, and near the discharge of the rivers of Mendu, 
Selan and Banko-kutto. This was the residence of the representa¬ 
tive of the sovereign ; the name of the Depatty Nusantara has been 
preserved at the last person who held that appointment. Very ex¬ 
tensive remains are still found on the site of the old Settlement. 
The traditions of the inhabitants of Banka are confirmed by the his¬ 
torical documents of the Javanese, but it is uncertain in what manner 
