It Is Separated
From Malacca By A Narrow Strait, And Its Most Southern Point Is Parted
From Java By One Still Narrower.
Java is above 100 leagues long by
twelve in breadth.
To the east of Sumatra is the great island of Borneo,
through which likewise the equinoctial passes, leaving two-thirds of the
island on the north side of the line. The maritime parts of Sumatra are
flat, but the interior is full of mountains, pervaded by many large
rivers, and covered by impenetrable woods which even the rays of the sun
are unable to pierce. Owing to these circumstances Sumatra is very
unhealthy, yet is much resorted to for its rich and valuable
productions, and particularly on account of its abounding in gold.
Besides gold, it produces white sandal-wood, benzoin, camphor, pepper,
ginger, cinnamon[153], abundance of silk, and abounds in fish and
cattle. It has in one part a spring of petroleum or rock oil, and one of
its mountains is a volcano. The original natives of the island are
pagans; but the Moors who came there first as merchants, have possessed
themselves of the island as lords ever since the year 1400. Among the
inland tribes is one called Batas, who are of most brutal manners, and
even feed on human flesh. The Moors who dwell on the coast, use several
languages, but chiefly the Malay. Their weapons are poisoned arrows
like the natives of Java from whom they are descended, but they likewise
use fire-arms.
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