"Joining the district of Magnarabunbang, on the coast, is Lamatte, the
rajanate of our old friend. The river, like the Songi, is shallow, and
running through very low ground. On the left bank is Luppa, consisting
of twenty-five houses; then, on the right, Ulo, twenty-two houses;
and above Ulo comes Ullue, of twelve houses. Nearly opposite Ullue is
Balammepa, with thirty houses, superior to the others, and inhabited by
merchants who have made money in trading voyages. This village sends
yearly two prahus to Singapore. Just above Ullue stand seven houses;
and above Balammepa is Tanca, the residence of the Rajah of Lamatte,
consisting of ten houses. The streams, as I have said, are shallow,
and the ground low, neatly cultivated with Indian corn, and abounding
in cocoanut-trees. Behind Magnarabunbang there is a narrow strip
of low ground, which becomes wider as it advances to the eastward,
with here and there moderate elevations.
"The chief product of the country is coffee, which is grown in great
quantities on the hills, but brought down as it ripens, when it
is collected by the Bugis merchants for their yearly shipments. The
yearly produce is stated to be 2000 coyans or 80,000 peculs. The price
is from fifteen to sixteen Java rupees the pecul; to which must be
added the trouble and expense of storing and clearing from the inner
skin. Tortoise-shell is brought in by the Badjows; and mother-of-pearl
shells in any quantity there is demand for. Taking the number of houses
in this small space, above described, the total will be 308 houses,
which reckoned at the low estimate of eight persons for each house,
will give 2464 inhabitants; this, however, is far below the proper
estimate, as there are villages scattered between the rivers, and
numbers of detached houses; in all, therefore, safely computed at
5000 persons. The villages, with the exception of Balammepa, have
an aspect of poverty, and the country is ravaged by that frightful
scourge the small-pox, and likewise some cases apparently of cholera,
from the account given of the complaint. Near the hill of Bulu Tanna
there is a hot spring, and likewise, by the report of the natives, some
slight remains of an old building. I regretted much not seeing these;
but the natives, with much politeness, begged me not to go previous to
my visit to Boni, as they would be answerable for allowing strangers
to see the country without orders from the chief rajah. All I see
and hear convinces me that the Rajah of Boni has great power over
the entire country. On a friendly communication with him, therefore,
depends our chance of seeing something of the interior.
"The inhabitants here are polite, but shy and reserved: and the death
of the Rana of Songi and the absence of the Rajah Mooda, her reported
successor, have been against us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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