328 
REPORT ON THE ISLAND OF BANKA, 
the preceding details, the Chinese and Malays must be considered 
as foreigners: the mountain-people and the sea-people, as they are 
severally denominated, are the most ancient race of residents that 
can be traced, and in concluding these prefatory remarks it may be 
proper to take a rapid view of them both. 
The custom of living on the water is common in various parts of 
India, it is in some countries occasioned by necessity; those people 
who are called R&yads on Banka and in the neighbouring seas, adopt 
it by choice and preserve it in situations which would afford a more 
comfortable mode of life. I transiently noticed their manners and 
peculiarities in the bays of Jebus and Klabbet: they are here also 
distinguished among the Malays by the name of Orang-laut which 
literally signifies persons inhabiting the ocean or $e«-people. 
I am not able to determine the extent of their range in the Indian 
ocean ; it is probable that they are dispersed through all the coun¬ 
tries where the Malay language is current: their principal rende- 
vous at present is at Linga, Rhio, and the numerous island in the 
neighbourhood. They have always formed part of the subjects of 
the Malay princes during their prosperity at Malakka and after¬ 
wards at Johore. 
Those Rayads who have preserved their manners pure, inhabit 
small prows, which carry their possessions and families. These are 
of the size and kind of the vessels distinguished among the Malays 
by the name of prow Kakap , probably from their supposed resem¬ 
blance to a fish of the same name in their form and motion ; they 
are equally adapted to rowing and sailing. Their appropriation is 
uniformly the same : the posterior part is employed as the kitchen, 
and here a small furnace is permanently fixed ; the central space 
serves for their usual occupations during the day and for their rest 
at night: several large mats which are rolled up in the day time form 
its principal furniture: their interior parts contain a small chest in 
which they preserve their things of value. During the night, and 
in bad weather, the vessel is covered by a light mat (or Kajang) 
which when not used is folded over the posterior part. The furni¬ 
ture of each prow is very simple. One harpoon with a shifting 
