The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-12

the mountains run very near the shore, never
more than twenty miles from it, and many riv-
eTs from them are consequently ANAL and ra-
pid, while heavy surf tends 10 obstruct their
mouth with sand bars. The greater part oil
the hills along this coast, far inland, are very
productive, and the narrow belt Of low-land is
ranked with the grandest vegetation in the
East. There are monstrous parasites, and
creepers, as large as a mans body, entwining
trees, too, that grow from one hundred and
twenty to one hundred and eighty feet high,
and sometimes nine yards in girth. There is
one graf parasite of Sumatra, with flower three
feet in breadth, petals foot long, a nectarine to
hold six quarts, and pistils like cows horns;
AMI then, the croutchave, or India rubber vine,
is there seen, six or eight inches in diameter,
creeping along through the forest, four or five
hundred feet, and then taking hold TO the very
top Of some strong lofty tree its staff to lean
its cumbrous weight upon. In shells also,
Sumatra is not less grand; for, besides its variety
of pigmies, the coast abounds with the ch0ma
gigantica; specimens of which twenty inches in
diameter, and eight inches deep-large enough,
and very suitable, (if mounted in silver) for
wassail- bowl or grand festive tureen-being
lined with a rich pearly coating, and having the
edges beautifully scalloped. Among the small
Ter but more important productions, is beau
tiful tree, like large myrtle, called the ca
incoming
make their cheese sheaths. 1t is easily carved,
and admits fine polish. They have the cot
ton tree, bombar, producing short silky cot
ton, of rich fibre, but not yet woven, on ac-
count of its shortness. The GnOo, or sage palm,
is also abundant in the swamps, and the indi-
geneous coffee is equal to the Java, though of
darker coored grain when ripe. The pepper
culture is mostly confined within hundred
miles of the coast, eXtedning from Bulo. Gamah,
or Boolsamah, to Annalaboo, which includes
Quallah Battoo, and about twenty other towns
OF depots. The supply depends entirely upon
the demand. At present, it is estimated that
the annual produce averages "a, 0O0, 900 pounds,
or enough TO freight 80 ships, of three to four
hundred tons burden. The country south of the
pepper coast, wherein the old English settlement
of Cencoalen was made, abounds in beEgoin,
camphor, manchineal wood, tick, and various
plants, but was never profitable TO either the
English or Dutch. The southern and south
western parts yield tin; but the shores are in
accessible, and little visited
Sumatra truly presents an interesting sphere
for philanthropic teachers and missionaries, as
it has three millions of people, without one
Christian missionary among them; and the
neighboring little inland, Pulo Nyas, on the
western coast, inhabited by remarkably in
teresting, ingenious, and commercial people, is
also very favorable for missionary labors, and
presents no obstacles. But the mis- sionares who
would go to these islands must be men of forti-
tude, and courage, of liberal minds, possessed of
general intelligence, and of insinuating, con-
ciliatng manners. They must go, too, pre-
pared for vicissitudes, privations, and even VIC
lent assaults for the last two American mis-
sionaries there. the lamented Lyman, and Mum
son, were murdered by the natives, in 1884.
She dogmatc zealots, and the half educated
psalm-singers, and mere homily makers, had
better preach at home; they can do no good
among the uncivilized