SUMATRA 
175 
and admit of steamer service far into the interior. The 
Jambi River, better known as the Batang-Hari, is the 
largest, and, disregarding the windings of the upper part 
of its course, exceeds 500 miles in length. It is prac¬ 
ticable for the transport of merchandise for quite 480 
miles, and the Dutch Government vessel Barito, a paddle- 
wheel steamer with a draught of over five feet, navigated 
it for a distance of 370 miles without difficulty. It 
drains a vast area, and is connected with some of the 
most beautiful and fertile districts of the Padang high¬ 
lands by its affluents, many of which are of large size. 
It is thus not only valuable as affording an easy means 
of access to the Ombilin coal-fields, but eminently im¬ 
portant for commerce both with the eastern parts of the 
“ West Coast Government ” and with the inland districts 
of Jambi and Korin chi, and before long its farthest 
navigable point will doubtless be connected with the 
network of Government roads on the western side of the 
island. The Musi or Palembang River is scarcely inferior 
to the Batang-Hari, being about 400 miles in length, of 
which distance the Barito was able to navigate rather 
more than half. The upper part, however, together with 
its numerous tributaries, is navigable right up to the 
mountain range by praus and rakits , or large bamboo 
rafts, upon which a vast amount of produce is carried to 
Palembang. From the fact of this district having been 
for some time settled, the trade is very considerable, and 
gutta, rattan, and other forest products, together with 
large numbers of buffaloes, are shipped from the large 
up-country towns of Muara-Rupit, Tebbing-Tinggi, Muara 
Inim, and Muara Dua, the river thus tappiug the trade 
of the districts along the mountain range for a distance 
in width of more than 150 miles. Other great rivers 
are the Siak, navigable for large vessels for 80 miles, the 
