Handbook of the federated Malay states - Sabrizain.org

98 Mandhooh of the
The State is well watered by numero-us rivers and streams,
of which the Pahang Eiver is the most important. Curiously
enough, this magnificent waterway, which, though of
considerable size, is, however, inferior in volume, breadth,
and length, to the Perak Piver, has its source, according to
native ideas, in an insignificant ditch, almost in the centre
of the State, into which the considerable waters of the
Tembeling from the north-west, and of the Jelai from the
north empty themselves, thus together forming, from that
point downwards, the broad and picturesque river called the
Pahang, which thenceforth becomes quite distinct as a main
stream. This river drains a great length of country, and,
in its course, receives numerous important feeders from the
most opposite directions—from the mountains to the north,
the south, and the west. In its lower reaches, below Kuala
Bera, it flows for nearly 100 miles due east, through a
country covered with low-lying hills and valleys, until it
empties itself into the China Sea. This country, for the
most part, is not marshy.
Of the other principal rivers, the Eompin, Endau, Kuantan,
Semantan, Triang, Bera, Tembeling, Lipis, and Jelai, may
be mentioned. Of these, the Pompin is a fine river, wider
and longer than many of the others. In marked contrast
to the Pahang, which is much shallower, it has about six
feet of water on the bar at the lowest tide, and there is deep
water for nearly a hundred miles up, whilst the Kuala, or
mouth, lies in a wide bay, protected to some extent, from the
north-east monsoon. The Endau forms the Pahang boundary
with Johore ; the Kuantan has its source in the hills of
Kemaman, a, district of Trengganu, and flows into the China
Sea. The others mentioned above are inland rivers, by
following one or another of which the other States of the
Federation may be entered at their interior stations.
The shallowness of the principal river of the State renders
but certain
it navigable for shallow-draught steamers only ;
others, e.g.^ the Pompin and the Kuantan, are free from this
disadvantage. Unlike the Pahang, which, owing to its
sandy bed and absence of rapids, is a safe river for boats of
any description and for small steamers, the Tembeling, Lipis,
and Jelai are rock infested streams, abounding in rapids, and
are, therefore, impracticable, except for sampans (small
native skifls or " dug-outs " holding not more than three
men), for more than a few miles from their mouths.
The rivers of the State are subject to annual floods during
the months of December and January, and when these inundations
occur certain portions of the country lie under