382 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF BANKA. 
from 8 to 3 fathoms, the bottom consists chiefly of mud. As far as 
lias been ascertained the middle is completely clear and safe, several 
rocks are pointed out near the shore by the natives at Batu-Merawa, 
and near the discharge of the river of Kampak; vessels are completely 
sheltered in it during the east monsoon. 
Leaving the points just mentioned, at the southern extremity of 
the Bay of Jehus, and pursuing the coast towards the south, we 
meet, after the inlet and rivulet at Beat, the points Tanjong Ular, 
Tanjong Batu-Batumpa and Tanjong Batu-Besayab, between which 
several inconsiderable rivulets and bays occur which are noted on 
the map. A reef of rocks extends to the north-westward from Tan¬ 
jong Bunud, and another between Tanjong Ular and Batu Batumpa, 
That extensive bay which is comprized between point Tanjong 
Kalian in the west and point Tanjong-Punie in the east has lately 
attracted much notice, in consequence of different settlements which 
have been formed on it. From the principal town it is generally 
called the Bay of Minto. It is foreign to my object, at present, to 
point out the advantages and defects of its various parts, in a nauti¬ 
cal point of view, or to determine the question, whether any of them 
is calculated for a port. This has already been partially done by 
professional men. I shall only remark that the western part, Tan¬ 
jong Kali&n, which, as far as regards convenience of landing and dis¬ 
position for defence, is best calculated for a permanent establishment, 
is disqualified by the deleteriousness of its atmosphere ; while the si¬ 
tuation of Minto, judging from its antiquity and the character it has 
acquired among the natives, will probably be found less objectionable 
in point of healthiness, though far inferior in the requisites for form¬ 
ing a convenient port. 
At each of the extreme points of this bay a considerable reef of 
rocks exists, at the distance of several miles from the body of the is¬ 
land : the western is called Kardng-Hdjie, the eastern Karang - 
Brum: the situation of both is marked on the nautical charts. Pur¬ 
suing the coast of the island to the east, another projecting point 
occurs in this direction, called Tanjong Tddu : the bay between 
these two points is not very deep, and near the western portion an 
