f Sunda, N. by the Java sea, E. by the
residencies of Batavia and Preanger, and S. by the Indian Ocean. It also
includes Princes Island and Dwars-in-den-weg ("right-in-the-way") Island in
Sunda Strait, as well as several smaller islands along the coasts. Bantam
had a population in 1897 of 709,339, including 302 Europeans, 1959 Chinese
and 89 Arabs and other Asiatic foreigners. The natives are Sundanese,
except in the northern or Serang division, where they are Javanese. The
coast is low-lying and frequently marshy. The northern portion of the
residency constitutes the most fertile portion, is generally flat with a
hilly group in the middle, where the two inactive volcanoes, Karang and
Pulosari, [v.03 p.0356] are found, while the north-western corner is
occupied by the isolated Gede Mountain. The southern portion is covered by
the Kendang (Malay for "range") Mountains extending into the Preanger. The
rivers are only navigable at their mouths. Various geysers and cold and
warm sulphur springs are found in the centre of the residency, and on a
ridge of the Karang Mountain is the large crater-lake Dano, a great part of
which was drained by the government in 1835 for rice cultivation. Pulse
(_kachang_), rice and coffee are the principal products of cultivation; but
in the days of government culture sugar, indigo and especially pepper were
also largely grown. The former considerable fishing and coasting trade was
ruined by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, a large stretch of coast line
and the seaport towns of Charingin and Anjer being destroyed by the
inundation. The prosperity of the residency was further affected by a
cattle plague in 1879, followed by a fever epidemic which carried off
50,000 people, and except in the rice season there is a considerable
emigration of natives. Bantam contains five native regencies or territorial
divisions, namely, Serang, Anjer, Pandeglang, Charingin, Lebak. The
principal towns are Serang, the capital of the residency, Chilegon,
Pandeglang, Menes and Rangkas Betug. The chief town, Serang, is situated 2
1/2 m. from Bantam Bay on the high road from Batavia. The port of Serang is
Karangantu, on Bantam Bay, and close by is the old ruined town of Bantam,
once the capital of the kingdom of Bantam, and before the foundation of
Batavia the principal commercial port of the Dutch East India Company. The
ruins include the remains of the former pepper warehouses, the old factory,
called Fort Speelwijk, b