Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

lOSAUSTRALASIA.Chinese. Pepper, the lacla or piper nigrum, introduced from India, is generallycultivated in tlie district, yielding in times of peace as much as forty-five millionpounds, or two-thirds of the quantity consumed in the whole world. Accordingto Van der Tunk the native idea is that the Europeans, living in a cold anddamp climate, stuff their mattresses with this spice to keep themselves warm atnight.East of Atjeh, on the Arcca coast, as it is called, because it is fringed with theAreca or betel-nut palm, the Dutch hold two other stations, Segli, near thenorthern slopes of the Goudberg, and Edi, south of Diamond Point. In theneighbouring district of Pasei formerly stood the city of Sumadra, whence theisland takes its name. On the west or "Pepper coast," which is subject to slowupheaval, the chief port is Kliirincj, noted for its vast caves frequented by myriadsof edible-nest builders. Some 60 miles farther south lies the port at the mouthof the Tetiom where the British ship Nisero was wrecked in 1883, and the whole crewcaptured and subjected to great hardships in captivity.Three years previously twoFrench travellers in search of gold mines had been assassinated on the same river.Yet within thirty miles farther south the little port of Malabnh (Ana/a/jii) is occupiedby a Dutch garrison. To escape from foreign rule most of the natives have fledto the coast town of Waikih, between Tenom and Malabuh. The latter place,which has some gold-washings and coal-beds, is followed southwards by the portof Tnmpat Tutcan, which trades with the neighbouring island of Babi.Singkel, formerly capital of a kingdom and now the chief town of a division ofthe Tapanuli province, lies on an island at the mouth of a river surrounded hjpestiferous swamps. Nevertheless, the place is visited bj^ some Chinese traders,who take camphor, benzoin, and holothurias in exchange for opium and rice.Baros, lying in a more healthy district farther south, was also a royal residencebefore the arrival of the Dutch, and at present does a considerable trade withGiiming Sitoli, capital of Nias.Beyond it follows Sibogha, on an inlet of the deep andspacious Tapanuli Bay, one of the best harbours in the world, affording excellentanchorage close in shore.Sibogha is one of the points whence travellers penetrateinland to the Batta countrj'. On the eastern and south-eastern heights of theneighbouring plateaux lie several commercially and strategically important places,such as Sipirok, Padang Sidempiian, and Pcrtihi, noted for its Buddhist ruins.Southwards in the direction of Padang follow the little-frequented ports of Natal,AJer Bangis, and Priamau.Padang, the most flourishing place on the west coast, presents the aspectrather of a large park than of a great commercial mart. Except in the centralquarter occupied by the public buildings, the only structures are the low dwellingsof the Malays, Javanese, Chinese, and Niassi Islanders, overshadowed by cocoanutpalrasand mangoes, and surrounded by gardens, ricefields, and plantations of allthe tropical growths valuable for their bark, gums, flowers, and fruits. In thedistance rises the smoking cone of Talang, and southwards, be3'ond the little riverPadang, stands the Apenberg, or "Ape Hill," so named from the quadrumana whohere dwell peaceably under the protection of the natives. The exports, averaging