The History of Sumatra | Page 2

9a. THE MUSANG, A SPECIES OF VIVERRA. W. Bell delt.
A. Cardon fc. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 10. THE TANGGILING OR PENG-GOLING-SISIK, A
SPECIES OF MANIS. W. Bell delt. A. Cardon fct. Published by W.
Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 11. n.1. THE ANJING-AYER, Mustela lutra. W. Bell delt. A.
Cardon fc.
PLATE 11a. n.2. 1. SKULL OF THE KAMBING-UTAN. 2. SKULL
OF THE KIJANG. W. Bell delt. A. Cardon sc.
PLATE 12. n.1. THE PALANDOK, A DIMINUTIVE SPECIES OF
MOSCHUS. Sinensis delt. A. Cardon fc.
PLATE 12a. n.2. THE KIJANG OR ROE, Cervus muntjak. W. Bell
delt. A. Cardon sc. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 13. n.1. THE LANDAK, Hystrix longicauda. Sinensis delt. A.
Cardon fc. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 13a. n.2. THE ANJING-AYER. Sinensis delt. A. Cardon fc.
Published by W. Marsden, 1810.

PLATE 14. n.1. THE KAMBING-UTAN, OR WILD-GOAT. W. Bell
delt.
PLATE 14a. n.2. THE KUBIN, Draco volans. Sinensis delt. A. Cardon
sc. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 15. BEAKS OF THE BUCEROS OR HORN-BILL. M. de
Jonville delt. Swaine sc. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 16. A MALAY BOY, NATIVE OF BENCOOLEN. T. Heaphy
delt. A. Cardon fecit. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 17. SUMATRAN WEAPONS. A. A Malay Gadoobang. B. A
Batta Weapon. C. A Malay Creese. One-third of the size of the
Originals. W. Williams del. and sculpt. Published by W. Marsden,
1810.
PLATE 17a. SUMATRAN WEAPONS. D. A Malay Creese. E. An
Achenese Creese. F. A Malay Sewar. One-third of the size of the
Originals. W. Williams del. and sculpt.
PLATE 18. ENTRANCE OF PADANG RIVER. With Buffaloes.
PLATE 18A. VIEW OF PADANG HILL. Published by W. Marsden,
1810.
PLATE 19. A VILLAGE HOUSE IN SUMATRA. W. Bell delt. J.G.
Stadler sculpt. Published by W. Marsden, 1810.
PLATE 19a. A PLANTATION HOUSE IN SUMATRA. W. Bell delt.
J.G. Stadler sculpt.
INDEX.
...

PREFACE.

The island of Sumatra, which, in point of situation and extent, holds a
conspicuous rank on the terraqueous globe, and is surpassed by few in
the bountiful indulgences of nature, has in all ages been unaccountably
neglected by writers insomuch that it is at this day less known, as to the
interior parts more especially, than the remotest island of modern
discovery; although it has been constantly resorted to by Europeans for
some centuries, and the English have had a regular establishment there
for the last hundred years. It is true that the commercial importance of
Sumatra has much declined. It is no longer the Emporium of Eastern
riches whither the traders of the West resorted with their cargoes to
exchange them for the precious merchandise of the Indian Archipelago:
nor does it boast now the political consequence it acquired when the
rapid progress of the Portuguese successes there first received a check.
That enterprising people, who caused so many kingdoms to shrink from
the terror of their arms, met with nothing but disgrace in their attempts
against Achin, whose monarchs made them tremble in their turn. Yet
still the importance of this island in the eye of the natural historian has
continued undiminished, and has equally at all periods laid claim to an
attention that does not appear, at any, to have been paid to it.
The Portuguese being better warriors than philosophers, and more
eager to conquer nations than to explore their manners or antiquities, it
is not surprising that they should have been unable to furnish the world
with any particular and just description of a country which they must
have regarded with an evil eye. The Dutch were the next people from
whom we had a right to expect information. They had an early
intercourse with the island, and have at different times formed
settlements in almost every part of it; yet they are almost silent with
respect to its history.* But to what cause are we to ascribe the
remissness of our own countrymen, whose opportunities have been
equal to those of their predecessors or contemporaries? It seems
difficult to account for it; but the fact is that, excepting a short sketch of
the manners prevailing in a particular district of the island, published in
the Philosophical Transactions of the year 1778, not one page of
information respecting the inhabitants of Sumatra has been
communicated to the public by any Englishman who has resided there.

(*Footnote. At the period when this remark was written, I was not
aware that an account of the Dutch settlements and commerce in
Sumatra by M. Adolph Eschels-kroon had in the preceding year been
published at Hamburgh, in the German language; nor had the
transactions of a literary society established at Batavia, whose first
volume appeared there in 1779, yet reached this country. The work,
indeed, of Valentyn, containing a general history of the European