GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF BANKA. 393 
The mines of Marawang are situated in all directions about the stoc¬ 
kade : the most important will be pointed out in the mineralogical 
account. 
The South-east Division of Banka, though the most important 
in point of extent is the least interesting at present as far as relates 
to population and productiveness. The line of boundary which sepa¬ 
rates it from the northern division has been mentioned above ; in the 
other quarters it is surrounded by the common boundaries of the is¬ 
land already described. 
The eastern coast, from the discharge of the Marawang river to 
point Tanjong Merikat, is bounded by the southern extremity of the 
China Sea, the straits of Gaspar, between the point last mentioned, 
and point Tanjong Merrun separates its furthest eastern extremity 
from the island of Billiton ; in the south it is washed by the sea of 
Borneo or Java, and the Straits of Banka divides it in the west from 
Sumatra. 
It contains the subdivisions of Pangkal-pinang , Jerctk, Koba, 
Tubuali , Banko-kutto and Paku, each of which is made up of 
smaller districts. 
The district of Pangkal-pinang is the only one which, as far as 
regards population and extent of works for preparing metal, is equal 
to most parts of the northern division of the island. In the north 
it is bounded by the large river of Marawang and in the west by tbe 
former settlements on Mendu-river, a line drawn from the source of 
the Selan river eastward to the discharge of that of Kurouw forms 
its southern boundary : In the east it takes in an extent of coast 
from the last river to that of Marawang. 
The principal mines of Pangkal-pinang are distributed through 
the subdivisions of Messu, Brassak, Krassak-Ulu, Bakung, Bang- 
twang, Kayu-besse, Ayer Mangkok Bulu, Ayer Udang and Gumu- 
ru ; the relative situation of which I have however not been able 
accurately to determine; they are mostly named according to the 
streams and rivulets which pass through them. The settlements of 
Fangkul and Kurouw, near the southern boundary of the districts, 
as well as several of the others just mentioned haye participated in 
