CHAPTER XVI.
C RO S S I NG S UMA T R A .
A p ril lfaA.-^Took the steamer at Padang for
Bencoolen. Nearly all the way we had a heavy wind
from the southeast, though the southeastern monsoon
has not yet begun in the Java Sea. The western
limit of this monsoon region, I judge, after many inquiries,
may be considered to be the Cape of Indra-
pura, but both monsoon winds prevail occasionally as
far north as Padang. Farther north the winds are
constantly variable. At Tapanuli Bay I was informed
that heavy “ northers” occasionally prevail
for several days; and I was earnestly advised not to
go off to the adjacent island of Mensalla in a ship’s
boat, though the sea was calm for two or three days
at a time.
A p ril 18th.—At 2 p. m . we entered Bencoolen Bay.
It is an open roadstead, and the swell raised by the
steady southeast trades of the Indian Ocean rolls in
and breaks for the first time on the shore, there
being no chain of islands to the seaward to protect
this part of the coast, as there is farther north. We
were able, however, to anchor in the bay off the city.
Landing here is difficult, on account of the surf, and
especially as the shores are mostly fringed with coral
reefs. The city is located on a low bluff, on the
south side of the bay.
By a treaty with the Dutch in 1824 this territory
was ceded them by the English, in exchange for
Malacca and the adjoining country. It is at present
under a Resident, who is appointed by the government
at Batavia, and is not under the Governor of
Padang. The residency commences at the southeastern
extremity of the island, and includes the
area between the Barizan chain and the sea-coast,
from that point as far north as Mokomoko. Its
population numbers one hundred and twenty thousand
five hundred and fourteen, and is divided as
follows :—Europeans, one hundred and seventy-four;
natives, one hundred and nineteen thousand six hundred
and ninety - one; Chinese, five hundred and
ninety-six; Arabs, six ; other Eastern nations, forty-
seven.
A p ril 19th.—The Resident gave me a large prau
to go to Pulo Tikus or Rat Island, a small coral island,
about six miles off Bencoolen. On its shore-side the
reef curves in at one place, and forms a little bay.
All round it, on the edges of the reef, were a number
of old anchors, heavy enough for the largest frigates.
They had been placed there by the English, who
moored their ships at that place, and carried off the
pepper-from Bencoolen in praus. If Bencoolen had
a good harbor or roadstead, it would be an important
place, but it has none, and there is no good
opportunity to make one.
On Pulo Tikus we found a few fishermen, from