Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-22


therto been very little known. The Euro
pean establishments are entirely on the
coast-European had never penetrated
into the interior. All attempts to do so,
indeed were reckoned desperate no Eu-
ropean would EN- bark in them. The .popu.
lation of the interior were considered "a sa-
wages, and the mountains impossible, and
yet the natives woul still bring down Their
gold, and cassia, and camphor, &c. Tor
which Sumatra had from the earliest ages
been famous. The Governor felt there was
but one alternative anil that was to open
the road BY going himself His enterprise
was crowned with success. He penetrated
into the interior in three different, directions,
to the southwark inland of Mama, to the
important provinces occupied by people
I called the Passummahs; 10 the north" ard
to Menangcabon, the far-famed capital of
the Malay empire and inland of Bencoo.
; len, across the island to PaIembang.
The result has been, The discovery of a
mine of wealth-a country highly culliva-
ted and Astounding in precious metals. The
Passummahs are an athletic fine race OF men
and are mnch superior to the people on
the coast; they a.e agricultural and nu-
merous At Mensngcabon he was gratified
with population and country fully equal
to any part of Java. Within the space o
twenty miles the population does not fail
short of million. In short, it is the 60
vernor's opinion, that with little encourage
ment, far greater resources are TO be found
in Sunatra than the British have derived
from Java but much remains to be done.
A central government must be established,
the whole Island must be brought under
control, ana the avenues OF commerce, now
closed up, re-opened. Our readers are
aware, that Mcnangcabon was the place
whence all the gold that gave Melano the
name OF the Golden Chersonesus was car
riet.
These discoveries have not, however,
been made without great personal risk and
fatigue. The country could only he explo-
red on foot--mountains G000 feet high
we to be crossed, and rocks, precipices
and forests, to be traversed. For many
nights, the party had no shelter bot the
leaves they could collect after their days
journey; and their journies were seldom
less than from twenty 10 thirty miles day,
over the very worst roads that ever were
passed. In this expedition the governor
was }ccompanied by lady Rallies she was
occasi ,nally carried on mans back, but
generally walked, as the roads were too
bad to admit of her being carried in chair.
Doctor Arnold, physician and naturalist,
fell sacrifice 10 the fatigue. and died of
violent fever. DR.. Household, who accom-
panied the governor to Menangcabon, was
on the 10Th August, the date of our latest
intelligence from Fort Marlborough, dan
gerously i'll with dysentey, but we hope
his life will be spared to carry home the i'm
porlant collections he has MADE both in ia
va and Sumatra.
As this was the first appearance of the !
European authority in the interior, lady |
Rallies was the most peaceable standard
the party could hoist. 1t was impossible
for the natives to consider their object war.
like, when the governor proceeded unarm-
ed;and conGded his wife 10 their hospital
ity.
They found the country beautiful and
Sir Thomas Stamford Rallies
has thrown the trade open, and reformed
all the establishments. Treaties have been
entered into with the Princes Of Menang-
cabon.
From HE Baltimore Telegraph, March Is.
LATE EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.
On Saturday morning the ship Belvide-
"a, in 10 days from Liverpool beat up to
W thin few miles Of the fort, when gust
came on and she was compelled 10 anchor;
anxious to obtain the news we went down
10 the ship (the wind blowing gale) in
the fast sailing pilot boat Ploughboy, com
Inanded by MIR. Bennett, who politely Of
tered his boat and services for the purpose.
Capt. Hobson with his usual politeness and
attention, furnished US with complete
ile of the London Courier from the 18th
December to the Esd January, and tie Lii
yerpooI Advertiser to the 25th, which ena-
bles us 10 present our readers with sum-