394 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND OF BANKA, 
the common disasters of the Island and have almost been converted 
to a desert. 
The original inhabitants are united under the native chiefs : the 
Batin Marawang (not to be confounded with the districts above- 
mentioned, Batin Bukit, Batin Ayer-Angat , Batin Sehtk and Batin 
Mendu, whose district in divided into a western and eastern or 
Mendu Barat and Mendu Timor. 
Jirak is a small district situated about 10 miles nearly south-west 
from Pangkal-pinang. It was formerly under the superintendence 
of Marawang, but from the contiguity of its situation, will more 
properly be added to Pangkal-pinang. Near the western boundary 
of this district are the two old settlements of PangkaUMendu and 
PangkaUMangas , situated on different branches of the Mendu ri¬ 
ver, the former towards the north, the latter towards the south : they 
have both been useful in keeping up a communication between the 
eastern and western parts of the island and from the latter to Minto. 
Godong-Selan lies 3 miles further south on a branch of the Selan 
river. Along part of its southern boundary the district of Pangkal- 
pinang meets that of Koba. 
Koba extends along the eastern coast, of Banka from the river 
of Kurouw, to point Tanjong Merikat, the south-east extremity of 
the island. It was formerly an important and productive district 
and supported numerous mines and prosperous establishments of the 
Chinese, its only inhabitants at present are a few straggling moun¬ 
tain people who have lately returned thither. The smaller set¬ 
tlements of Rangouw, and Kayu-arro formed part of this dis¬ 
trict. 
Bounding the southern part of Koba in the west we meet the ex¬ 
tensive district of Tubuali, commencing at its point of termination 
above mentioned. From here Tubuali follows the direction of the 
coast through the Strait of Lipar, comprising an extensive belt of 
this part of the island which, winding round the points Sarang Ikan 
and Sumbuang-dapor, proceeds along the western coast the termi¬ 
nation of the district at the boundary of Bcniko-kalto. In the south- 
* 
ern part of Tubuali in the Strait of Lipar are the two rivers of Tong- 
