Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

112 AUSTRAJ.ASIA.boiiring streiimlet. Numerous thermal springs of varying temperature LuLble upat the foot of the volcanoes in the surrounding distiict.The chief southern trading-place and the largest city in Sumatra, ia Palemhaiig,which lies on both banks of the ^lusi just above the delta, and at the convergingpoint of all the main routes from the interior.Palembang covers a large surface,the thirty-six Kampongs, or quarters of the lUr, comprising a space of over fivemiles on the north or left bank, while the opposite side is occupied by sixteen otherquarters, grouped collectively under the name of Ulu* The few Europeanbuildings are disjjosed on the north side, round about the kraton, or citadel, whichthe Dutch have gradually transformed to a residential palace.As in the Chinesecity of Canton, many of the natives live permanently afloat, residing on rakit'i, orbamboo rafts, moored to the banks of the river, which is here 1,000 feet wide, andfrom 30 to 50 feet deep. Some of the rafts are large enough to bear houses,containing several families, and according to the local tradition, the first of thesestructures were built by the Chinese traders, to whom the sultan had refusedpermission to reside ashore. At present they are inhabited not only by theChinese, Malays, Arabs, and Hindus, but even by some Eurojjeans, for the sake ofthe refreshing breezes, which blow alternately up and down the stream. Nearlyall the shops are afloat, so that most of the business is conducted in small rivercraft, which glide along the narrow channels winding between the little houses,painted in bright colours, and surmounted by curved roofs. During the floodssome of these dwellings break from their moorings, and drift with the current farbelow Palembang.Children also frequently fall overboard, and become a prey tothe numerous crocodiles infesting the river.The inhabitants of Palembang, who claim descent from a Javanese colony ofthe fourteenth century, still speak an idiom difl'ering greatly from the Malaydialects of Sumatra, and resembling the current speech of Central Java. Theircommercial relations are also chiefly with that island, to which they forward thetobacco, rice, india-rubber, gutta-percha, benzoin, and other produce floated downfrom Muivara Diia, Muwara Inini, Mmrara Bliti, Muwara Rupit, and other inlandtowns, usually situated at the Miiuriras, or confluences ofthe main stream with itstributaries. This produce is shipped in large vessels which ascend the Musi toPalembang, 60 miles from its mouth. The gold workings, whence Palembangtakes its name, are now of little value, and the local industries are mainly confinedto lacquerware and furniture, manufactured by numerous Chinese artizans.In theneighbourhood are the tombs of the sultans, amongst which Europeansare surprised to find that of Sikandar Alam, " Alexander the Great," the traditionalancestor of so many Eastern dynasties.North of the ancient kingdom of Palembang, the sultanate of Jambi, reducedby the Dutch in 1858, also possesses a considerable town, Mmcard Kompvh, situated,as implied by its name, at the confluence of the Kompeh with the Jambi. Thisimportant trading-place lies, like Palembang, above the fluvial delta, and 45* The two Malay tenns llir and Ulu, of such frequent ocourreiice on the maps of the Eastern Archipelago,hare the respective meanings of " lower," •• below," " left," and "upper," " above," " right."