Alfred John Loftus

“ The road I speak of extends from Singora [1] to Quedah, [2] and is very serpentine and undulating amongst the hills in the interior, where it reaches an elevation of 1,100 to 1,300 feet. It is scarcely worth the name of a road, but it is the best across the Peninsula. The jungle tracks are very narrow, and, whilst running in various directions, are exceedingly tortuous and undulating, sometimes in valleys, and by the slopes of hills, and in some parts over their tops, at elevations from 50 to 800 feet. ”

“ The jungle track from Krà to Chumpon is the best, and is of lower elevation than any of the others, but at the some time it possesses the same characteristics, in outline and natural features, as those in other parts of the Malay Peninsula, viz:—it is exceedingly tortuous and uneven. ”

“ Again, supposing all obstacles could be overcome to this point, and the entrance of the canal could be situated at some navigable position north of Melliwan, even then the scheme would be as insurmountable as before, for the intricate mass of lofty mountain chains in this neighbourhood would preclude all possibility of making a direct or indirect cut obliquely from any part of the left bank of the Pakchan river to any point on the jungle track east of Krà Pass. ”