Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From many points of view these islands form one compact geographical whole, and as
such they have always been treated by travellers and men of science; but a more careful and
detailed study of them under various aspects, reveals the unexpected fact that they are divis-
ible into two portions nearly equal in extent, which widely differ in their natural products,
and really form parts of two of the primary divisions of the earth. I have been able to prove
this in considerable detail by my observations on the natural history of the various parts of
the Archipelago; and as in the description of my travels and residence in the several islands
I shall have to refer continually to this view, and adduce facts in support of it, I have thought
it advisable to commence with a general sketch of such of the main features of the Malayan
region as will render the facts hereafter brought forward more interesting, and their bearing
on the general question more easily understood. I proceed, therefore, to sketch the limits and
extent of the Archipelago, and to point out the more striking features of its geology, physical
geography, vegetation, and animal life.
Definition and Boundaries
For reasons which depend mainly on the distribution of animal life, I consider the Malay
Archipelago to include the Malay Peninsula as far as Tenasserim, and the Nicobar Islands
on the west, the Philippines on the north, and the Solomon Islands beyond New Guinea, on
the east. All the great islands included within these limits are connected together by innu-
merable smaller ones, so that no one of them seems to be distinctly separated from the rest.
With but few exceptions, all enjoy an uniform and very similar climate, and are covered
with a luxuriant forest vegetation. Whether we study their form and distribution on maps, or
actually travel from island to island, our first impression will be that they form a connected
whole, all the parts of which are intimately related to each other.
Extent of the Archipelago and Islands
The Malay Archipelago extends for more than 4,000 miles in length from east to west, and
is about 1,300 in breadth from north to south. It would stretch over an expanse equal to that
of all Europe from the extreme west far into Central Asia, or would cover the widest parts of
South America, and extend far beyond the land into the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It in-
cludes three islands larger than Great Britain; and in one of them, Borneo, the whole of the
British Isles might be set down, and would be surrounded by a sea of forests. New Guinea,
though less compact in shape, is probably larger than Borneo. Sumatra is about equal in ex-
tent to Great Britain; Java, Luzon, and Celebes are each about the size of Ireland. Eighteen
