The land has probably sunk; and these islands were, no doubt, the summits of mountains forming part of the chain that runs through Sumatra.
"Once through the passage south of Little Andaman, we shall sail due east for a day or two; and then lay her course nearly southeast, which will take us right up the straits between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula." "Are there any islands scattered about there ?" "There is one nasty little group, called the Arroa Islands, nearly in mid-channel.

I shall take care to pass them in daylight.

Farther down there are several largish islands near the Sumatra coast but, as the passage is some sixty miles wide, there is little fear of our running foul of them." "Have the Dutch any settlements at Sumatra ?" "Two or three.

Palembang is the principal.

It is on a river that runs down into the Banca Straits.