MALACCA, an extensive region of India beyond the Ganges, consisting of a large peninsula, connected, by the isthmus of Kraw, about ninety-seven miles in breadth, with the province of Tenasscrim to the north, whilst on all other sides it is bounded by the Eastern Ocean, having on the west the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Malacca, which separate it from Sumatra, and on the east the Gulf of Siam and the Sea of China. It extends from the eleventh to the twelfth degrees of north latitude, and is 775 miles in length, by 125 in average breadth. The country is a long, narrow strip of land, traversed by a chain of lofty mountains, and covered with extensive forests and marshes, so that it is very difficult to penetrate into the interior. A range of extremely bleak mountains runs through it from one extremity to the other; and they give rise to innumerable streams, the courses of which, from the proximity of the mountains to the sea, are short, and they are obstructed at the mouths by bars and sandbanks, so that they cannot be ascended by vessels of any size. At the southern extremity of the continent are the islands of Bintang, Bataug, and Sincapore, with many others, so thickly clustered together, that they are only separated from the continent by narrow straits, and seem to be a prolongation of the land. On the west coast also there are numerous islands, amongst which may be mentioned Pulo Pinang, or Prince of Wales Island.

The soil is not remarkable for its fertility, though, like other Malay countries, the coast is well covered with wood, and exhibits a great extent of verdure; but the teak tree has never yet been discovered in these forests. The fruits are excellent and plentiful; but grain is not produced in sufficient quantity, and is therefore imported from Bengal and Sumatra. The jungles, from their density and great luxuriance, are impervious to animals, and game is in consequence scarce. From the rivers, as well as the sea, the inhabitants derive a plentiful supply offish.

The political state of Malacca has been subject to many revolutions, having been occasionally dependent on Siam, when that monarchy was in the height of its power, and when its supremacy was owned by the whole peninsula. But since the Siamese have yielded to the increasing power of the Burmans, all the southern portion of the peninsula has shaken off the yoke; and the northern states pay only a moderate tribute. The whole of the sea-coast, from that latitude to Point Romania, is still possessed by the Malays, who are mixed in some places with the Buggesses from Celebes, and who have still a small settlement at Salengore. The northern and inland parts of the peninsula are inhabited by the Patany people, who appear to be a mixture of Siamese and Malays, and who inhabit independent villages. The negro race is found in the interior amongst the aboriginal natives. The great majority of the inhabitants are, however, of the Malay race, who are well known and widely diffused amongst all the eastern [7:14:52]islands. The origin of this remarkable race is not very distinctly known. They are understood, however, not to be natives of this country, but to have come originally from the district of Palembang, in the interior of Sumatra, situated on the banks of the river Malaya. Having crossed over about the end of the twelfth century to the opposite continent, they, in 1252, founded the city of Malacca. They are of a daring, restless, and intrepid disposition; their character forming in this respect a striking contrast to that of the timid inhabitants of Hindustan. They are brave in war, but ferocious and vindictive, merciless to enemies and strangers, and capricious and passionate even to friends. They are proud and irascible, carrying the point of honour to excess, with a quick sensibility to the slightest insult, which drives them to a degree of fury bordering on desperation; and it is by a series of what they, in their overwrought fancies, consider to be insults, that they are excited to a state of frenzy which ends in that act of wild atrocity known by the name of running amok, from the word amok, signifying kill, kill. The Malay,when he has resolved on this desperate step, proceeds still farther to inflame his passions, by taking a dose of opium, when he throws loose his black hair, and, drawing his deadly crease, rushes into the streets, thirsting for vengeance, and, crying “kill, kill,” slays every one whom he meets in this furious mood. But it has been found that these unruly passions, which often broke out into violent excesses under the tyrannies of their Dutch rulers, were greatly allayed by kind treatment; and that the Malay, in these circumstances, was transformed into an entirely different character, displaying gratitude, affection, fidelity, and higher sentiments of honour than are found amongst any other class of natives in India. Those Europeans who have engaged them as servants, and who have treated them well, inform us that they found them faithful and attached domestics. The free Malays are an intelligent, active, industrious body of men, engaged, like the Chinese, in foreign trade. They have always addicted themselves to seafaring pursuits, and to piracy, which they follow as if it were a lawful trade; and hence they are the terror of the effeminate Asiatics. Their prows are many of them fine vessels, and navigated with skill; but the Malay, though in general a bold and hardy mariner, is apt to sink under a continuance of cold or bad weather, even sooner than the feeble but more docile lascar of Bengal. Though they have been much circumscribed in their piracies by the maritime superiority of the Europeans in the Eastern Seas, and no longer retain those daring habits which rendered them the scourge of the peaceful trader, they still carry on petty depredations; and trading vessels are sometimes cut off, and their crews murdered with every circumstance of atrocity.

The government of the Malays is a rude description of monarchy, with a turbulent aristocracy, or something like the principles of the feudal system. The head of the government is a rajah or sultan, a name assumed from the Arabians; and under him a certain number of nobles, with their train of vassals. But in practice there is no regular system of subordination, the king trampling on the chiefs and the people, and they again rebelling against his authority; so that there is little else amongst them but violence and disorder, which contributes to nourish their ferocious habits.

The language of the Malays has obtained very general currency in several states upon the continent, as well as amongst the eastern islands, though it has gained no footing in the interior of Hindustan. On the sea-coast, and at the mouths and on the banks of navigable rivers, it is the medium of commercial and foreign intercourse; and the currency which it has acquired may be ascribed partly to the commercial and enterprising character of the people, who, by their mercantile habits, or the power of their arms, have established themselves in every part of the archipelago, and also to its own valuable qualities of simplicity in the structure, and even of pronunciation. In writing it, they use the Arabic character, with the addition of six other letters. The Malays have few books in their language, and these consist chiefly of transcripts and versions of the Koran, commentaries on the Mahommedan law, and tales in prose and verse, many of them translations of the popular tales current in Arabia, Persia, India, and the neighbouring island of Java. They have also some historical compositions.

The Malayans profess the Mahommedan religion. Until the year 1276 they were pagans, or followed some corrupted form of Hindu idolatry. Sultan Mahommed Shah, who ascended the throne in the thirteenth century, was the first prince who, by the propagation of this faith, acquired great celebrity during his long reign of fifty-seven years. His dominion extended over the neighbouring islands of Lingen and Bintang, together with Johore, Patany, Quedah, and Pera, on the coasts of the peninsula, besides several districts in Sumatra, all of which acquired the appellation of Malaya. During part of the fifteenth century, Malacca was under the Siamese sovereigns. In 1509, Sultan Mahmood repelled the aggression of the king of Siam; but in 1511 he was conquered by the Portuguese under Albuquerque.

Malacca is the capital of the country of Malacca, and is situated on the straits of the same name, near the southern extremity of the Malay peninsula. The town is large; many of the houses are built of stone; and there are several spacious and handsome streets. But that part of it inhabited by the natives consists of bamboo and mat huts. Since the formation of the British settlement at Pulo Pinang, or Prince of Wales Island, its commercial importance has declined. The surrounding country is fertile and beautiful, being finely diversified for eight miles round with hill and dale; and beyond that distance it is rendered impracticable by woods and morasses. There is a good roadstead for large ships, about a mile and a half from the place; but the entrance to the river is rendered intricate by a bar, over which boats cannot pass before quarter flood, nor after last quarter ebb, without much difficulty. Under the lee of the island, near to the fort, there is a harbour, where, in the south-west monsoon, vessels of light burden may be secured. On the southern side of the river is a fort, the walls of which are in a ruinous condition. The chief imports are grain, which is brought in considerable quantities from Bengal, Java, and Sumatra, opium, piece-goods, silks, and dollars. The exports are chiefly tin, pepper, sago, canes, elephants’ teeth, biche de mer, and some gold dust. Fruits and vegetables are abundant; and there is also plenty of buffaloes, hogs, poultry, and fish, at moderate prices, though sheep and bullocks are scarce. Malacca was founded about the year 1252; and in 1508 it was first visited by the Portuguese, who, on a quarrel which broke out, were arrested by the king, and being thrown into prison, several of them were put to death. Albuquerque, the renowned Portuguese commander, immediately declared war against this eastern prince; and, after an obstinate contest, stormed the town of Malacca, which became one of their principal settlements, and the key of their trade with the seas beyond India. In 1605 it was attacked by the Dutch, who destroyed a Portuguese fleet in the roads, but failed to take the place. In 1640, however, they reduced it, after an obstinate resistance, and retained it till the year 1795, when it was subjected by a British force, but was restored at the peace of Amiens. It was afterwards recaptured by the British, in whose possession it still remains. Long. 102. 12. E. Lat. 2. 14. N.