The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

10 MALACCA STRAIT.—SUMATRA COAST. [chap. r.
deepens northward of the parallel of the cape, the 100 fathoms lijie of
soundings being only 2^ miles from it, there will be no difficulty as to the
time when the course should be again altered to W.N.W. :
During
day a
gradual change will probably be seen in the colour of the water from blue
to dark green. Attention should also be paid to the alteration in the
direction of the swell caused by the promontory of Eas Hafiin 5 the water
gets smoother and the swell alters . its direction to the eastwaifd of south,
when the meridian of that cape is passed.
During the south-west monsoon; the current sets up the coast strqng
to the northward and close round the cape to the westward ; but at a short
distance off shore, the current continues its course to the northward and
eastward.
These directions derived from experience extending over many years
cannot be too earnestly recommended to seamen.*
SUMATRA COAST.t
SUMATRA ISLAND.—General Description.— Sumatra
was first visited in 1509 by the Portuguese ;, by the Dutch in 1600 ;
and by
the British two years afterwards. The latter continued to establish factories
and form settlements in the island during the l7th century. These
settlements were retained by the British until 1825, when they were ceded
to the Dutch in exchange for Malacca.
Sumatra is about 960 miles long in a north-west and south-east direction,
and its greatest breadth is about 220 miles. Its area is about 128,000 square
miles; thus it is the largest of the islands of the Malay archipelago except
Borneo, and is about three times the size of Java. The equator passes
nearly through the centre of the island.
A chain of mountains extends the whole length of Sumatra, the ranges
being in many parts, double and treble, but in general situated much nearer
to the western than to the eastern coast. Some of the mountains rise to the
height of 10,000 and 11,000 feet above the level of the sea; of these,
five situated near the centre of the island, are volcanic. The great
alluvial plain on the eastern side of the island, generally only a few feet
above the level of the sea, is 600 miles in length and from 60 to 1 10 miles
in width : this, with the rare exception of a few patches on the river
banks, and usually beyond the reach of the tide, is covered with stupen-
dous forest of primeval origin. The south-eastern extremity of the island
is little better than a forest of mangrove growing out of a morass. The
* Directions for approaching this part of the coast of Aftiea, will be found in Gulf of
Aden Pilot, and Africa Pilot, Part III.
t See Admiralty chart :—Achl (Acheen) head to Diamond point, No. 219; scatei
m = ' 2 of an inch.
—