# Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society/Volume 3/Geography of Achin

​GEOGRAPHY OF ACHIN.
TRANSLATED FOR THE SOCIETY BY DR. BIEBER.
[The following notes on the Geography of the North-west- ern part of Sumatra are taken from a paper by Mr. T. C. R. Westpalm vau Hoorn tot Burgh, published a short time ago in the "Tijdschrift van het aardrijkskundig genootschap te Amsterdam."]
Achin lies between 95° 13' and 98° 17' East Longitude and between 2° 48' and 5° 40' North Latitude.
The statements as to the extent of this territory, current up to the present time, differ materially from each other. Melvill van Carnbee calculates it at 924, Anderson at 1,200, Dijseriuk at 960, and Veth at 900 square miles.
Along the West coast an uninterrupted chain of moun- tains extends, known by the name of Pedir Daholi ; it is a con- tinuation of those mountains called the Bockit Barissan, which extend to the Vlakken Hock, the Western point of South- eastern Sumatra. These high mountains, which from North- west to South-east run right through Sumatra, divide Achin into two parts, the one sloping downwards to the West coast and the other to the East coast.
As in those parts of Sumatra, which have already been sub- jected to Dutch rule, so also in Achin the mountains are of a volcanic nature; they are based on a foundation of trachyte, while in the upper layers granite, porphyry, limestone and sandstone come to the surface.
The low coast lands, called by the natives "darat" or "rantau," are here and there broken by low chains of hills, but for the greater part they are swampy and covered with deuse woods. From Cape Diamond to the Tamiang river on the East coast alluvial soil is to be found, and here the mouths of the rivers are continually changing, and the coast is intersected ​with innumerable creeks. In this way the whole Eastern part of the North coast, as far as the promontory of Batoe Padir, presents itself as a broad flat range of coast land, while the Western part of the North coast bears the mountainous charac- ter common to the whole West coast of Sumatra.
In the chain of mountains lie the following as yet scarcely known Volcanoes:—Not far from the North coast under 5° 26' 30" North Latitude and 95° 41' 30" East Longitude is situated the Goenong Yah Moerah, otherwise called the Glawa, Lawa, Salawa and known also as the Goud or Koninginneberg. This mountain is 2,300 meters Ligh and wooded to the top. More to the East and extending in an easterly direction under 5° 10' North Latitude lie the Samalanga mountains. In the South- western province Alas, close to the Batta Districts, we fiud the Goenong Batoe Gapit. Besides these volcanoes the follow- ing mountains are named in the paper. Eastward of the Gund or Koninginneberg or Goenong Pedir or Weesberg al- ready mentioned, eastward also of Goenong Samalanga the Goenong Poedadah or Oliphantsberg, the Goenong Bangallang and the monutaius South of Pasangau. South-east of these mountains is the crater Bockit Tjoenda in the province Tjoen- da, and in the province Gedong there is the Bockit Pasci, a long level mountain-ridge without a single prominent peak, which may be considered as a continuation of the Samalanga mountains, a range which probably terminates in the Bockit Tocmian. Further in the interior rise the Abong-abong and in a South-easterly direction the Goenong Loese. Close to the West coast at the port of Klocang there are the Bockit Tem- baga or Koperhenvel, the Boekit Koeali at Ranoe North of Rigas Bay and South-west the Goenong Tampat Tocan.
Along a considerable part of the West coast the moun- tains slope down to the shore, and in some cases rise from it very abruptly and are interrupted by parallel coast rivers. Only in those parts lying more to the South-east, between the coast river Assahan and the place called Troemon, the moun- tains recede, and then not more than 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles from the coast.
These narrow ranges of shore covered with rich woods of alders where the Settlements are situated, are very interesting in comparison with the steep densely wooded mountains.
​The rivers, taking their rise on the two principal chains, and having but a short course and a steep descent, are of little importance. Where there are no shoals, mud banks, or break- ers, such as are frequently found on the West coast, to ob- struct the mouths of the rivers, most of them offer a good anchorage for vessels of small draught.
As one of the most important rivers, we have to name the Achin on the North-western point of Sumatra, which takes its rise on the slopes of the Goudberg. Its depth is from 6 meters to 12 meters and its breadth 100 meters, but its mouth is closed by a bar through which there is a passage, sometimes obstruct- ed, but with a fair wind it can be passed by sloops and launches. The Lambosi or Lamboes, Oenga, Pangah, Wailah, Sinagum, Trang, Toca, Soesoeh, Manging, Labocan Hadjii, and finally the Bakoengan close to the territory of Trocmon are the more important rivers ou the West coast.
The following rivers disembogue on the North and East coast, viz.: the Kroeng Bijah, East of Pedropunt; the Fedir and the Gighen (both flowing into the Pedir Bay), the Tje or Ajer Laboe, Sawan Samalanga (1 1/2 miles West of Oedjong Raja, a mountain river, very broad at its mouth); the Djimb Pedada, Djampo, Djoebi, Pasagan, Pasei (30 meters broad but only 1 meter in depth at its month, while further up its depth is 55 meters). The rivers Belong, Pindjong, Liudjoeng and Ko- qua disemboguing East of Cape Agum-agum empty themselves into the sea at the same point. Two and a half miles further West of Diamond Promontory is the Kerty and then the Tjankoi, Fidada, Legabatang. and Djamboe Ajer or Zoetwater- river at Diamond Cape, which forms the boundary of Kerti and Simpang Olim.
Further East there are the mouths of the rivers Mentoei and Bekas, Roesah, Ringin and Belas, Arakoendoer, Djollok or Djoelok, Bueging, Bagan and Edi, which are all connected with each other and form but one creek. These rivers, under favorable circumstances, are navigable even for schooners as soon as they have passed the bars. Then follow the Padawa Ketjil, Padawa Besar, Sembilan, Perlakh, Toeli Besar Lagoe, Raja, Baja Birim, Temboes, Pasir Poetih Rowan, Langsar, Radja- toea Besar, and Tamiang, the latter forming the boundary between Achin and Siak.
​The most important Promontories in the extreme North- west, west of the Achin river, are: Nadjid, Raja or Koen- ingspunt and Masamoeka. Then follow ou the West coast the Capes Sedoe or Siddoh, Dawai, Baroes or Rigas in the Rigas Bay, Aroen, Batoe Toctoeng and Tsjellung, Bocboen, Malaboc, Taripoli, Raja or Felix, Margging, Toeau, and Mankies. On the East coast, East of the Achin river, we find the capes Aroe or Pedropunt, Batoe Putih. Segi or Sagi, Merdoe, Radja, Pasangan, Djamboo Ajer or Diamantpunt, Perlakh, and Tami- ang.
[In the spelling of the Native Names it has not been attempted to follow the "Straits" system; The Dutch method has been left untouched.]