enty
thousand Chinese are found in this district. Mantrado is three days'
journey up the Mompava river; it is under an independent Malay
prince. Some accounts make the population of this district great,
near fifty thousand Dayers, Malays, and Chinese; but perhaps half
the number may be nearer the truth; these are chiefly employed on
the gold mines, and in producing food for the miners; these mines,
however, do not produce that quantity which they might under Chinese
management. Mandore is about a day's journey from Pontiana, and belongs
to the sultan; it is reckoned a very rich mine, though but recently
wrought. There are as yet only twelve parets of about two hundred
men each, but it is capable of extension. Likewise are found in this
district some very rich specimens of copper ore; it has not as yet
been wrought, gold being deemed a much more productive article. The
sultan wishes, however, he had some boring utensils and an experienced
miner, to enable him to decide whether it would be worth working under
the peculiar circumstances above mentioned. Numbers of Chinese are
settled in this district, and the population is annually increasing.

About three days' journey up the Pongole river lies the district of
Songo, with a population of twenty-five thousand souls, Dayers, and a
few Chinese, under a Malay and an independent prince. The population
is chiefly employed on the rich mines of gold in the neighborhood,
which is particularly pure and abundant; but the mines are not wrought
with the same industry as those under Chinese management. The Dutch
thought it of so much consequence as to keep a force at Songo, and to
place the present rajah on that musnud. About two days' journey farther
up lies another gold district, called Santam, the inhabitants of which
are principally Dayers. Beyond Santam, and higher up on the same river,
lies the town of Sukadow, abounding in gold, the inhabitants of which
are also Dayers.

Matan belongs to the rajah of that name: he had the title of Rajah
of Sukadana, until driven out of the latter place by the Dutch,
seventeen years ago. There are ten thousand Dayers in this district,
and a few Chinese and Malays. The mines of gold are abundant, and
capable of becoming highly productive, as well as the mines of iron
and unwrought tin; but the sultan is much addicted to the use of
opium, and hence neglects a valuable country, capable, under better
management, of becoming the most valuable distri