The Thespesia populnea, profusely covered with its large yellow flowers, and called “Onseran” by the natives, was very common about their habitations, forming usually a portion of the fence around their gardens. A leafless species of the Euphorbiaceæ family, which they named “Bugar,” was also growing plentifully in the hedges: they did not use it medicinally, but said, if the juice was taken internally, it would produce violent pain and excessive vomiting. Having arrived at a fisherman’s station, we crossed over a creek in one of the large fishing boats, in which the seine was very large, and manufactured from the fibres of the trunk of a palm, (which I shall hereafter have occasion to mention,) this fibrous material is known by the common name of “black coir;” it is strong, elastic, and very durable.
A number of natives were fishing upon the banks of the river with their peculiar hand-nets, called “Gniap:” this net is of a similar appearance, but of course smaller, to that used in the “Sarambeau fishing rafts,” at Manilla, of which there is a very correct figure in the Voyage of La Perouse, 8vo. Engl. ed. vol. ii. p. 322. On examining the contents of the baskets, which were rudely formed from the spathe of the Areka palm, they were found to contain only a few small fish, prawns, and biongs, or crabs. On their success, my native attendants informed me, the fishermen depend for their daily meal. During the rice and betel nut harvest, they earn their subsistence by cutting and threshing the former, and gathering and shelling the latter; but when the season for those productions has passed, they depend upon the fish caught with the hand-net, as a subsistence for themselves and families.
I stood by one of them to see “a haul:” after a short time had elapsed, the heavy net was raised, and contained only a solitary fish and a few crabs. The nets were baited with crabs’ claws, tied about different parts. On a marsh near this spot a flock of two kinds of crane was feeding; one species small and white, and named “Ecuar,” the other much larger, of a greyish colour, and named “Ngnar, ngnar,” by the natives.
Fruit was at this season scarce, a few guavas, plantains, and “jack,” was all that could be procured; but during the season, mangoosteens, a variety of plantains and bananas, oranges, pine-apples, mangoes, and other tropical fruits, could be procured in abundance. Having ranged about the Pedir Rajah’s district, near the sea coast, I returned on board in the evening with the collection I had made.
Among the natives that occasionally came on board with the cargo boats, as well as those seen on shore, consisting of different races of Hindoostan, Malays, &c. there were several with the African features and hair; none of whom, however, were well-formed or handsome men, but still seemed to possess great muscular power. They were of that African race designated the “Black Arabs,” who are shipped as seamen on board vessels at Bushire and other places in the Persian Gulf. When I was looking at this variety of the human race, one of the rajah’s followers said he was the property of the rajah, and he would sell him to me, if I wanted him. As I did not require a specimen of that kind, I declined this very obliging offer. The land and sea breezes were for some days very regular, and at others extremely irregular, varying also in their degree of strength. The range of the thermometer, during the short period I remained on this coast, was from 79° to 88°.[150]
Early one morning, a party was formed, to endeavour to obtain a view of the country further inland. On landing at the village of Pedir, we were met by the old trading minister, who accompanied us. The houses of the natives were constructed of bamboo, raised, like all the Malay residences, upon strong posts, a short distance from the ground, and the ascent to the rooms above, was by bamboo ladders. The habitations are covered with a thatch, formed from the leaves of different kinds of palms; and the dwellings are cool. This quality, so desirable in sultry climates, is given to them by gardens surrounding the habitations, filled with trees, imparting a refreshing verdure; and from the blossoms delightful odours were exhaled. Among the more elevated kinds, were the graceful and majestic cocoa-nut, and the straight Areka palm, (Areka catechu,) surmounted by its tuft of dark-green foliage, and its long pendent clusters of orange-coloured fruit, of an oval form.
The Artocarpus incisa, or Jack-tree, the broad-leaved plantain, the mango, orange, lime, and occasionally, but rarely, the bread-fruit trees, (A. integrifolia,) ornamented the garden. That most elegant as well as largest of the gramineous plants, the bamboo, (“Triang” of the natives,) was abundant, as fences about many of the dwellings, (as well as the Erythrina corollodendron, or Mangkudu of the natives; the Jatropha curcas, or “Bánawa” of the natives,[151]) and in distinct clumps; the Piper betel trailed up some of the trees, and the Abrus precatorius, (Anasagar of the natives,) with its pods, containing small, but beautiful crimson seeds, hung in festoons from the bushes in the jungle, and a Diosma, called Un grupuum by the natives, was abundant and fragrant; the Manihot (Jatropha manihot) was also seen; and although I was informed the root was prepared and eaten, the shrub did not seem to be extensively planted. The Carambola-trees (Averrhoa carambola) were numerous, and called Boslemang. A quantity of the fruit was observed laid upon a raised bamboo platform, spread out to dry in the sun, and the natives appeared fond of eating them in a raw state, as well as using them in many of their curries, and other dishes.
About some of the native habitations, that large and elegant palm, the Borossus gomutus of Loureiro, the Saguerus pinnatus of the Batavian Transactions, and the Cleophora of Gœrtner, was planted: it is the “Anau” of the Sumatrans; was called at this place “Eju” and “Doh” by the Javanese: it is valued on account of excellent toddy being extracted from it; but more especially for the black fibres collected from the trunk, about the bases of the petioles of the fronds; which fibrous substance resembles somewhat in its appearance, as well as elasticity, horsehair; and it is highly esteemed for the manufacture of rope used for their seines, vessels, &c.; the very thick fibres, the natives say, the Moormen resident here use as pens, and call them “Puré Eju:” it is probably the same tree from which the fibres, called Cabo-negro by the Spaniards, are procured at Manilla, and from which they also manufacture rope.
We continued our ramble over a fine plain, terminated in the distance by palms: bamboos, the broad-leaved plantain, and other elegant trees were seen, ornamenting some lonely habitation, the roof just appearing above the dense foliage. This plain at one season of the year is covered with rice-fields; but was now dried up: the stubble of the former harvest remained, and the whole was covered by an abundance of herbage, affording feeding for herds of cattle. A number of various species of Grylli were hopping about the fields, and were caught by the native boys for my entomological collection: they called them, in the language of the country, “Daruar,” and these insects are eaten by the natives.