GEOGRAPHICAL description of the island of banka. 381) 
er rivers of the neighbouring country : its direction (with many in¬ 
tervening curves) is east inclining slightly to the south. It pene¬ 
trates far into the eastern peninsula, and at the present period is 
interesting chiefly for the purpose above mentioned of carrying on 
an intercourse with the settlements of the opposite peninsula, as the 
mines of Laying are no longer worked. 
The other rivers of the eastern peninsula arc those of Mapur, Je- 
niang, Sungie-liat, Bedukkan, Nipa, Robo and particularly that of 
Mariwang. This river, whose course I have followed in marking 
the boundary of the northern and western division of the island, 
rises from the mountain of Harass: after receiving the branches of 
Sungie Belalin, Sungie Belumbang .and Sungie Dshadu it passes the 
village of the Dipatti Barin under the name of Sungie Slabbed. 
Below this, in its course towards the sea, it is generally called Sun¬ 
gie Sldrdvmng, and receives from the districts bounding its north¬ 
ern banks the following branches: Sungie Kdndis (from the direc¬ 
tion of the stockade of Mar&wang) Sungie Pruwdng , Sungie Kudu, 
Sungie Trdngbdldng, Sungie Slur onw and Sungie Mengkowdn , and 
from the south, - Sungie Pdnde, Sungie Penegdng , Sungie Panddk 
(a considerable stream) and the river of Pdngkdl-phidng . 
Of the mountains in the northern division of Banka the mountain 
called Gunung Mdrdss by the natives must be first mentioned. It 
is situated at the southern extremity of the Bay of Klabbet, nearly 
intermediate between the western and the eastern peninsula, in a de¬ 
sert almost inaccessible part of the island, which is only, in a few 
parts, inhabited by the mountain-people. It is both in height and 
extent the most considerable on the island, but, according to the re¬ 
port of the Chinese who have visited and examined its environs, it 
is of less importance than any other part, as no ore of tin has been 
found in its vicinity. It consists of two distinct summits, sepa- 
« 
rated by a considerable excavation ; each forming a long extended 
eminence. Its general direction is from west-north-west to east- 
south-east. The eastern portion sends off along extended, low, range 
which stretches a considerable distance in the direction of the large 
mountain. 
T) 
