nes of Batong and
Sunayang. Bata-salindong also contains many districts, in some of which
benzoin, and in others fine gold, is collected. The residence of the king
is at Salindong. Bata-gopit lies at the foot of a volcano-mountain of
that name, from whence, at the time of an eruption, the natives procure
sulphur, to be afterwards employed in the manufacture of gunpowder. The
little kingdom of Butar lies north-eastward of the preceding and reaches
to the eastern coast, where are the places named Pulo Serony and Batu
Bara; the latter enjoying a considerable trade; also Longtong and
Sirigar, at the mouth of a great river named Assahan. Butar yields
neither camphor, benzoin, nor gold, and the inhabitants support
themselves by cultivation. The residence of the king is at a town of the
same name.

ANCIENT BUILDING.

High up on the river of Batu Bara, which empties itself into the straits
of Malacca, is found a large brick building, concerning the erection of
which no tradition is preserved amongst the people. It is described as a
square, or several squares, and at one corner is an extremely high
pillar, supposed by them to have been designed for carrying a flag.
Images or reliefs of human figures are carved in the walls, which they
conceive to be Chinese (perhaps Hindu) idols. The bricks, of which some
were brought to Tappanuli, are of a smaller size than those used by the
English.

SINGKEL.

Singkel River, by much the largest on the western coast of the island,
has its rise in the distant mountains of Daholi, in the territory of
Achin, and at the distance of about thirty miles from the sea receives
the waters of the Sikere, at a place called Pomoko, running through a
great extent of the Batta country. After this junction it is very broad,
and deep enough for vessels of considerable burden, but the bar is
shallow and dangerous, having no more than six feet at low-water
spring-tides, and the rise is also six feet. The breadth here is about
three-quarters of a mile. Much of the lower parts of the country through
which it has its course is overflowed during the rainy season, but not at
two places, called by Captain Forrest Rambong and Jambong, near the
mouth. The principal town lies forty miles up the river on the northern
branch. On the southern is a town named Kiking, where more trade is
carried on by the Malays and Achinese than at the former, the Samponan or
Papa mountains producing more benzoin than those of Daholi. It