A Journey through the Malay States of Trengganu and Kelantan

whole of Trengganu and large tracts in Kelantan remained unexplored until last year.The state of Trengganu is bounded by the China Sea on the east, by Kelantan on the north and north-west, and by Pahang on the south and south-west.Kelantan is bounded by the China sea on the east, by Trengganu and Pahang on the west and south-west, and by the Siamese protected states.ofLegeh and Patani on the north and north-west.The area of Trengganu is roughly estimated at 50,000 square miles, and that of Kelantan at 100,000 square miles.The physical characteristics of the Statqs on the east coast of the Peninsula are common to one and all of them.The north-east monsoon, which sweeps across the China sea from the beginning of November OFF THE COAST.to the end of February in each year, lashes the waves into huge breakers, which, dashing themselves upon the shores, keep the beaches free from the dismal mangrove swamps which do so much to disfigure the scenery in the straits of Malacca.From the mouth of the Kelantan river until Johor territory is reached, a bright yellow line of fine sand, strewn with marvellous shells, stretches along the seashore, and is only interrupted here and there by the massive rocks of some bold headland, which juts out into the sea and stubbornly presents its weather-beaten face to the lashings of the wind and waves.During the season at which this monsoon blows the navigation of the coast is rendered exceedingly difficult.Entrance to the mouths of the largest rivers can only be effected once a fortnight at spring tides, and even then, if the wind chances to be violent, the passage is not unattended with danger.When I was first deputed to take up my residence in Pahang early in 1887, no attempt had ever been made to enter these rivers during the close season, and it was not until Pahang had been a year under the protection of the British Government that a vessel was chartered to make the attempt.Since then a regular fortnightly mail service has been organized, and the east coast is therefore no longer so entirely cut off from the rest B 2This content downloaded from 87.65.74.