The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. I.] THE MALAY COAST, 36
Southward of Seal rock are several small islands; Oiscar, the outer
one is 3 miles distant from Great Carimon. The ground is foul f6r one
mile notth-westward of them. The space southward of the islands, as also
the west side of Great Carimon, is but little known.
The north side of Malacca strait will now be described;
THE MALAY COAST.
SALANG (Thalang) or Junkseylon island, occupied by
the Siamese of Ligor, is separated from the Malay peninsula by Papra (or
Pak-Phra) strait, and extends between lat. 8° 10' N. and 1° 46' N. ; it is
about ,24 miles long, 9. miles broad, and divided into two Bajahships
of about equal size ; the northern being named Thalang, and the southern
Puket.' The population of Junkseylon, composed of Malays, Chinese,
and Siamese (in 1879), was about 32,500. The principal towns are
Bandon, Puket, Katha, and Tharua the old capital. The north coast of
Papra strait is under the Bajah of Takuatung.
Junkseylon is rich in tin mines, which appear to have been worked by
Chinese miners for centuries back. The mines employed (in lo72) nearly
35,000 Chinese, but since then there has been a steady decrease in the
number, owing to the depreciation in the value of the metal. The mining
is worked in the primitive manner the Chinese adopt, the result being that
during the dry season all operations are stopped for three months for want
of water.
The West coast trends nearly north and south, and has several
large bays, with deep water, but none affording any protection against the
south-west monsoon. The northern half of this coast is low wooded land,
with the exception of one piece of high land at 8 miles from the north
point of the island. The southern half is a range of mountains 1,000 to
1,750 feet high, thickly wooded, sloping gradually to the northward and
southward, and visible at a distance of 30 miles. This side of the island
is steep-to, with 10 or 12 fathoms close to the shore. Off the west coast
are two small islands, named Goh Gata (Gavai), one of which is 50 feet
high, the other low ; they lie close together S.W. by W. ^ W. one mile from
Lem Son, and have deep water around them.
BaudOU river lies juat south of Lem S(5n ; on it is the town of
Bandon, which contains about 100 houses, and the residence of the Eajah
of Thalang.
* See Admiralty charts :—Bassein river to Pulo Penang, No. 830 ; Sayer islands and
adjacent coast, including Junkseylon, No. 842. Remarks (amended) of Commander
A» de Richelieu, Siamese gunboat Coronation. 1876. Lem (Siamese), means point ot
Cftper and Goh, an island.
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