MENANGKABAW.
Locality.—The centre of Sumatra; the kingdom being at one time extended over almost the whole island.
Religion.—Mahometan.
Alphabet.—Arabic.
Language.—Malay of Malacca, or nearly so.
In its widest extent, the kingdom of Menangkabaw is a political rather than an ethnographical division. To make it ethnographical, it must be limited. In this sense it is conterminous with Atchin and the Battas on the north, extended from east to west, across the whole island in (at least) some portions of it, in others, probably interrupted in certain mountain localities of the centre, and probably interrupted between the river Jambi and Palembang.
Politically speaking, the minor kingdoms of Indrapura, Anak-sungei, Siak, and Passamang, have grown out of the breaking up of the great Menangkabaw kingdom. At present, its pure and almost typical Malayan character—at least as far as resemblance in language to the Malay of Malacca is concerned—is all that will be noticed.
REJANG.—LAMPONG.
Locality.—South Sumatra; conterminal with the Menangkabaw country and Palembang.