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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http: //books .google .com/I '^^BRAV^^■ This is an authorized facsimile of the original book, printed by microfilm-xerography on acid-free paper. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS INTERNATIONAL Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. London, England 1979 '^*%^MI^-. .V^A » *)lr^-^.^% ^.*^i ^.yJt^t X^^\*li»*'»Kl M0 f*iK ' n I* u U' .«••< V.V 1 *r it ISLANPorBANCA . hy^ ^ ' M.H. Court. ) 'M Jo ^v ^ J^ /I ♦ ♦- ^ V \ •♦ •; . 1821. '.'.1 jr>wr*«Jj»»*''«i *y*»« /* • jwT' ,- • . I •I .1 • •r> .1 .\- ,•-•■'«. ^ »-♦.»• rb > ht: c^ ton DON I rRINTRD IV COX ANII »AVUli» ONIAT OOKiN trilSTf l.l|ICOLII*M NN-riRLOi. rv N o^ N t • •• ■ » ^ , I # p • I . 1 ' . 1 ■ ■ , . . ■ < k rb > ^1° « • d^ ton DON I rRINTRD IV COX ANU »AVUli» ONIAT OOKiN tTtlSft l.l|ICOLII*t-l NN-riRLOi. PREFACE. . » ' In presenting this book to the Publlci the Authc contemplates the performance of two duties. First, The contribution to tlio general stock i such knowledge, respecting countries of widch lltt] is at present known, nnd lc8s has been communlcute< ASi In tlio course of his public servlcci he has ho favourable opportunities of acquiring. ! Secondly, The exertion of his endeavours to e] tricate the people of a state, with wliom he live in a perfect correspondence of friendship and gooc will, from the rapacity and injustice of a neighbou [ ; whom our Governuvent imposed upon them, as jn*iend and an ally, contrary to their own wishc '■ ) Had they been consulted, they would have appearc to desire a lusting alliance and dependence upc the British nation. That the misfortunes and did • eulties with which they have now to contend again (he threatened overwhelming attacks of a powcrfi nnd remorseless neighbour, have originated in the avowed partiality towards tlu; Uritii^h Governmer will be placed beyond contradiction in the progre of this volume^ Th ^'5-3Dl.'i'13^ VI PRBFACB. That the hostilities of their aspiring neighbour liave no other foundation tlian jealousy of the good namo which Britain has acquired with a grateful peoplci will be made also indisputably apparent. Tliat these hostilities are dlrocte««' The subjection of the Island of Java and its dependencies to the British arms, was decided by the action of the 26th of August 1811; and the terms for the sur- render of that important colony, by the Frcncli Governor- General and Comman- der-in-chief, were arranged in articles of capituhition, signed and completed on the 11th of September followhig. In the course of that month, the accounts of this event became known to the Sultaun of Palcmbang , for the probability, of whicli he had been previously prepared, by communications of the designs of the British armament, which he had received from Sir Thomas Stamford Rafllcs ; who for some months antecedently had been employed by the Earl of Minto, then Governor- General, as his agent with the Malay States. . Sir T, S. Rallies, in furtherance of the object of his mission ; also to facilitate the service for which the expedition was formed, and to distract the councils of the French Authorities on Java ; had pre- viously, viouslyi through the mission of native emissaries, acquainted the Sultaun of Palembang with the powers vested in him by the Governor-General; inviting him to break off his alliance with the Dutch| as that nation had been subverted by the French, and to form an alliance with the British Government, on the same basis of commercial stipulation as that which had existed with the Dutch, but without any infringement of his independent authority over Palembang, The Sultaun, perhaps wisely, thought it expedient to wait the result of our attempt on Java; or, as may be more justly in- ferred from his subsequent conduct, ex- pected that, in the collision of the two powers, he might be able to throw oif all connexion with either of thcin. Whatever may have been his expectations ; he came to no decision imtil he received intelli- gence of our success. He then assembled his chiefs and their dependants, and sent a select body of them to gain admittance into the Dutch Fort, which is situated on the opposite bank o^ th^ river and nearly fronting his palace. The situation of the Dutch Resident, and the Hcrvants of tlio Factory^ was, at this tiaic, one of evident difllculty. The Commander of the troops advised to shut the gates of the Fort, and refuse admit- tance ; but the Resident considering it best to acquiesce in the demand of the chiefs, they were accordingly admitted ; and he proceeded across the river, with the officers of the Factory, to explain to the Sultaun ;— That in consequence of the conquest of the island of Java, the Fort and Factory at Palcmbang neces- sarily reverted to the British Authority, and that he would deliver it over accord- ingly, as soon as the officers, deputed by that Government to receive possession, should arrive, Tlie Sultaun gave no other reply ; than that they had no longer any business at Palcmbang, and that he had therefore provided prows to convey them to Ma- lacca. On board these the Dutch Resident and and the officers of the Factory Were, ac« cordingly, embarked, and conveyed to a village called Soensang, nearly at the mouth of the Palcmbang river. Hero it was supposed they were murdered, as nothing more was heard or seen of them ; but whether by the express com- mand of the Sultaun ; or by an act of treachery, solely to be attributed to the natives who had the charge of their con- veyance, and who might have been insti- gated by the expectation of plunder, could never be ascertained. Certam it is ; that the Sultaun manifested no displeasure, or resentment of this criminal proceed- ing ; though he was clearly responsible for the safe conduct of these individuals, who, without any possible pretext, had been so basely massacred. The Fort which encompassed the Dutch Factory, and which had reverted to the British Authority with the other depen- dencies of Java, was razed from its foun- dation. The British Government of Java hav- ing received information of tlio melons clioly fato of the Dutch Resident^ and the servants of the Factory at Palembang ; dispatched three Commissioners to de- mand from the Sultaun an explanation of this catastrophe, and of the destruction of the Fort. On the arrival of these gentlemen at Palembang, they were accommodated with a house and every suitable provir sion ; but were not pcnnitted to go abroad, or to extend their observations or cn(iuirics. In a few days they were con- veyed back to the ship of war which . brought them, the Sultaun having deter- mined to refuse all negociation or expla- nation. In a full assembly of his chie&, he quoted the precepts of the Koran in support of his policy for maintaining the perfect independence of his sovereignty, and rejecting all correspondence with Eu- ropean infidels. On the return of the Commissioners to Batavia from their fruitless mission, an armament was equipped, to obtaui by the the sword what had been so unjustly refused to a treaty. This force sailed under the orders of the late Major-General Sir R, R. Gilles- pie, then Commander of the Forces on Java, and reached Palembang in the lat- ter end of the month of April 1812. On their approach the Sultaun fled immediate- ly ; and so gi*eat was his consternation, that the gallant General, impatient of delay, actually entered the palace with Captain Mcarcs and as many European soldiers as a fast rowing boat could con- vey, and met with no opposition what- ever. Two of the native chiefs, one of high rank, Pangerang Nato de Radjo, whose family was closely allied by marriage with that of the Sultaun ; and an Arab chief, Pangerang Sheriff Omar, soon after paid their respects to the Commander of the Forces, and in the course of two days the eldest brother of the fugitive Sultaun (the Pangerang Adapattie) sent word that he was anxious to have a conference with the British Commander, on assurance of B 4 protection. 8 protection* This being conveyed to him, he was received with the ceremonials and salutes due to his rank. . The Commander of the Forces now ex- plained the objects intended by the ar- mament under his command ;— to punish those who had committed the massacre of the members of the Dutch Factory ; to demand indemnity for this act of per* fidy and the destruction of the Fort ; and a satisfactory explanation of the Sultaun's conduct towards the Commissioners sent to enquire into these, proceedings. He regretted that the Sultaun, by his flight, had precluded the possibility of an ami- cable arrangement of these points, by communication with himself; and, in order to guard against any disorders that might ensue from the absence of the usual Authorities, he requested that the Pange- rang Adapattie would assume the admi- nistration of the laws, until permanent arrangements could be made for the go- , vemment of the country. The Pangerang Adapattie, in acceding to the wishes of the t2ke Commander of the Forces, estpressed his sense of the honour conferred by the confidence reposed in him. The General had, in the mean time, deputed a confidential Arab to the fugi* tive Sultami, to explain the terms upon which he would be permitted to conciliate the wrongs he had inflicted. The Ex- Sultaim having rejected the proflfered con- ditionS) wliich it would now be needless to mention, the General contemplated to elevate to the throne of Palembang, on certain conditions, the third son of the . fugitive Sultaun ; exceptions being taken to the eldest, the Pangerang Ratoo, a young man of profligate character, whose conduct had been, on many occasions, marked by violence and outrage towards ' the inhabitants. A similar exception was taken to the second son, Pangerang Adie ' Mungala, a youth of seventeen years of age, but certainly on mistake or upon erroneous information. He was, and I ' have no doubt is to this day, a young man ' of mild manners, modest deportment, and 10 tinexceptionable conduct, whose charac- ter, during my intercourse with Palem- bang for three years and a half, was held in estimation by all classes of the inhabi- tants. The General now communicated to the Pangcrang Adapattie his intention of ex- alting to the throne the third son, a bo^j^ of twelve years of age. He further pro- posed, until the nephew should attain an age to qualify him for the administration of the sovereign authority, to vest the regency in him, the Pangcrang Adapattie; who observed in reply, that he could not hope to maintain his authority as regent under such circumstances. The deposed Sultaun would doubtless preserve his influence over the chiefs and people of the country, while himself, with all the other chiefs, who had so recently deserted the £x- Sultaun, to espouse the cause and seek the protection of the British Government, would be exposed to his resentment and fall the victims of his secret revenge. If, therefore,' such were the the measures to be pursued, he requested to be allowed to withdraw from Palem- bang, and to have a residence allotted to him, under the protection of the British Government. The Commander of the Forces having duly weighed the reasons urged by the Pangerang Adapattie, found just grounds to apprehend their truth, and as the events transpiring on Java rendered it indispensably necessary to adjust, as speedily as possible, the settlement of the government of the country, he finally determined to vest the Pangerang Ada- pattie with the dignity of Sultaun. He was the eldest brother and next in dig- nity to the deposed Sultaun, and by his conduct had manifested the utmost fidelity, from which he has never since in one instance departed, and in so far has justified his selection. The following articles of treaty were then arranged : ^M. The Sultaun, Ratoo Achmed Najm al Deen, for liimself, his heirs (( 12 and successors^ and in the name of all the Pangcrangs, Mantries^ and chiefs of Palembangy doth cede to His Ma- jesty the King of the United Kmgdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and to the Honourable English East-India Company, the full and uncontrolled sovereignty and possession of the Island of Banca, the Island of Billiton, and all the other small Islands adjacent thereto and dependent thereon ; and the Sultaun further engages, that this deed of cession shall be authenticated by a formal Avrittcn transfer under his signature and chop, and that of the Princes, Pangerangs, and Mantries of Palcmbang who may be concerned therein. '^ 3. The Sultaun engages to allow the free departure and return of all persons from and to Palcmbang and Banca, with their families and property, and to protect their families mid pro- perty during their absence. In like manner, the English East-India Com- •^ pany u pany engages to pennit the free depar-* ^^ ture of all persons from Banca, with " their families and property, who may " wish to go to Palembang. ' " 4, The Sultawi engages to send " whatever supplies of provisions and " other articles may be required from his ** country for the service of Banca, on '* reasonable terms, *^ 7. The Sultaun engages to give *' countenance and protection to the Chi- " nese and Arabs living at Palembang ; " also to protect and to preserve the " freedom of all those who were formerly *^ residing under the protection of the " Dutch Factory: and the Sultaun en- ** gages to punish any persons who may " molest or disturb them, in such manner ** as, in conjunction with the opinion of " the Resident, they may appear to " merit.*' The second article of the treaty engaged that there should be set apart, as an allow- ance to the Sultaun of Palembang, a por- tion of the net revenue of Banca, which 14 would be determined by GoTerament. The other articles merely related to the mea* sures to be pursued against the deposed Sultaun^ the division of his captured treasures between the parties to this treaty : and the purchase of the palace^ guns, and other property from the cap- tors, for 200,000 dollars. These articles were annulled by a subsequent treaty, concluded on the 21st of August 1813. On the 14th of May 1812, proclamation was made of tlic reasons for which the Sultaun M ahmud Badr al Deen had been deposed, and the Pangerang Adapattie announced as his successor, and sub- mitted, as such, to the election of the Pangcrangs, chiefs, and people present ; • who having declared their assent by unani- . mous acclamations, his installation to the dignity took place according to the usual ceremonies, after whicli he received the homage and allegiance of all his subjects. * On tliis occasion he assumed the aove* ' reign dignity, by the title and name of Sultaun Ratoo Aehmcd Najm al Deen. Previous Previous to the departure of the arma- ment sent from Batavia to Palembang ; the ' Sultaun of Djoyocarta, a native Prince of some consideration in the south-eastern provinces of Java, had shown a dispo« sition to violate the ancient stipulations of his alliance with the European Power on Java ; and all negociations with a view to maintain the relations of amity that had subsisted since the expulsion of the French power, having unhappily failed; hostilities appeared at this time to be inevitable. • Having therefore concluded the ar- ; rangements above-mentioned for the set- tlement of the country and the adminis- tration of the government of Palembang, the Commander of the Forces was neces- sitated to relinquish all pursuit of the de« posed Sultaun, and to expedite his return, with the greater portion of the troops, to Java, where their services were impo* riously required, to check the progress of the Sultaun of Djoyocarta, in his en- deavours to excite a combination of the 16 neighbouring princes against tlie Go* vcmmcnt. \ ' It forms no part of the subject of this narrative to relate the particulars of this service, which was executed with that decision, promptitude, and valour, which had been displayed so conspicuously in India on many important occasions by the gallant Gillespie, whose military career had constantly been animated by that dauntless spirit of entcrprize which so • eminently marked its fatal termination. General Gillespie, with the less reluc- tance, refrained from further hostilities against the deposed Sultaun, as he was * assured by the Sultaun Najm al Deen, that very few of the chieftains remained attached to the fortunes of his brother, and that he could confide in the submis« sion and support of those who had pledged to him tlieir allegiance. He requested one hundred men only, if they could possibly be spared, more effectually to guard against any vacillation of his adhe- . rents, who by the appearance of this small small body would feel assured that the British Government, having raised the Sul- taim to the sovereignty, would continue to support liim. On the 18th May, therefore, the Com- mander of the Forces quitted Palcmbang with all the troops, cxcepthig one hun- dred men left at the desire of the new. Sultaun ; and crossing the Straits of Ban- ca, reached Mintok, the chief town on the island of Banca, on the 20th; where, on the following day, all the chiefs of tlie island who could conveniently attend, having by previous arrangement been assembled, the Deed of Cession, under the seal and signature of the Sultaun of Palcmbang and the Princes of that state, was formally proclaimed. Tlic island was declared for the future to be denominated Duke of York's Island. But this change of name having been shice considered, by the Supreme Government, likely to occa- sion some inconvenience to mariners in the navigation of those seas, where the natives would call it by the ancient name, itii old c designation IS designation was directed to be retained; The principal town was named Minto, in compliment to tiie highly" venerated Go- vernor-General of India, under whose wise and benevolent administration, and per- sonal supervisanee, the conquest of the im- portant island of Java had been achieved, A spot, at the western point of the is- land, called Tunjong Kaleang, was cho- sen for the establishment of the troops, the residency, and the erection of a fort, to be called Fort Nugent, in compliment to his Excellency Sir George Nugent, then Commander-in-Chief in India, an officer respected and beloved by all who enjoyed the honour of any intercourse with him, either of an official or a private nature. Captain Meares, of the Madras Esta- blishment, who had acquired a knowledge of the Malayan language and the manners of the people, during a previous residence at the Moluccas, was appointed the Re- sident and Commandant of the island, in .addition to the duties of Resident at the Court * #■ Court of the Sultaun of Palembang. He was an officer exceeding in height and proportion the usual stature, and whose personal qualities cannot be better ex- pressed, than in the language of a Palem- bang chief, ^^ Bageetoo besar dea poonia " budun, bagetoo besar dea poonia htee ;" which in English may be interpreted, that he possessed a large body and an equally great soul. A requisite body of troops having been left at Banca, under the command of the Resident and Commandant, General Gil- lespie, with the remainder, returned to Java. Confining this relation to the events more particularly belonging to our con- nexion with the Palembang state, it will be only necessary to notice the more prominent measures pursued. Captain Meares having settled in perfect security all matters on Banca, ordered aU the disposable part of his force td Palembang, with a design of piursuing th6 deposed Sultaun. On the 28th of August c 2 the 20 the troops were distributed in thirty anned boats belonging to the Sultaun, and commenced their route up the river, with thirty-one. prows, carrying forty- three guns of small calibre ; and seventy- seven prows, on which the chiefs of the Sultaun with their dependents were em- barked. The deposed Sultaun had taken up a position at a place called Buayo Lango, about one hundred miles from Palembang, up tlic river. Here he had erected a battery, and was enabled to intercept the provisions coming from the upper coimtry, on which Palembang is in a great degree dependent for its usual supplies. On the fourth day from their departure from Palembang, Captain Mearcs arrived within six hours' rowing of the Sultaun's post. Here he waited until all the prows were assembled ; and having fonried them in regular order, he continued his route, and on the next day came in sight of the fugitive Sultaun's post, against which he immediately advanced with the detach- ment ment of Artillery^ Bengal Seapoys^ and Amboyncse. The post was immediately carried; and the deposed Sultaun, with all his treasures, would doubtless have been captured, but for the hesitation occasioned by the fall of Captain Meares, who was shot in the body whilst entering the battery at the head of his men. The officer who succeeded to the command of the British troops lost the opportunity of following up the successful attack upon the post. The £x- Sultaun, in the mean tune, fled with the utmost precipitation, and did not stop in his retreat until he had ascended to M ararawas, one hundred and fifty miles higher up the river; where, finding himself unmolested, he took up a position and fortified himself, prepared here to wait any further attack. The troops returned to Palembang with • their wounded commander, who on. his approach was met by the Sultaun Najm al Decn, whose grateful mind was moved to tears on beholding an officer, for whom he 22 had the utmost estcenii labouring under such severe suffering from a wound ob« tained in exertions and devotedness to his eause. Captain Meares passed over to Banca, where he died on the 15th Sep« tember, leaving the memory of his name and gallant conduct recorded in the hearts and nunds of the Sultaun and an ad- miring people. If the character of the Malayese be allowed to display a vindictive spirit and a fervour of resentment, we must acknow- ledge in them the virtue of ardour in their gratitude for favours conferred. This the Sultaun Najm al Deen has evinced on every occasion ; and no motive of per- sonal interest could have produced this feeling, when, on a recent occasion, he declared to the Dutch Resident; *^that; • * he never could forget his obligations to •^ the British nation;** — mi expression which seems to have been, in the opinion of the Dutch Governors, an mexpiable offence, and for which he appears to liave have endured every degradation in their power to inflict Not only has he been displaced . from his throne^ but, severed from his country, kindred, and friends, he has been transported to a residence in the baneful clunatc of Batavia. The advance of Captain Mcarcs, and his attack upon the fugitive Sultaun, had convinced that Prince of the insecurity of any position within a reasonable distance of Palembang ; and the remote situation where he subsequently sought refuge enabled the reigning Sultaun to extend his authority over the intermediate country* Palembang, in consequence, was relieved of all inconvenience from want of the customary supplies, wliich were now pro- vided in their usual course. Notwithstanding the submission of the H\liolo country, excepting the distant dis- trict held by the Ex- Sultaun, and the undistm*bcd acknowledgment of the au- thority of the reigning Sultami in Palem- bang ; it became an object of the Java c 4 Government 24 Governincnt to remove all occasion of conflicti and to restore perfect tranquillity in the Palcmbang dominions^ by driving the £x-Sultaun even from the distant province. This pursuit did not present much pros-* pect of taking his person^ in a country where he had so many means of avoiding his pursuers ; yet it was expected that ne- gociation might effect the object in view ; as tlie letters which the Ex-Sultaun ad-* dressed and transmitted at several times to the Resident, were written in a tone of submission ; and in them he requested to be restored to the favour and protec- tion of the British Government. The Residents at Banca and Palcmbang who succeeded Major Meares were accord- ingly authorized to correspond with the deposed Sultaun, and to endeavour, by the offer of a residence and protection for hhnself and family in the British territories, to obtain his acquiescence in the views of Government. Nothing, however, was to bo done, donCi subversive of, or derogatory to the * rights and interests of the reigning Sul- taun. The Resident at Palcmbang, in further- ance of these intentions^ entered into a cor- respondence with the Ex-Sultaun, whose letters in reply generally contained pro- posals for the payment of money to the Government on condition of his re- esta- blishment. Afterwards, in the hope of more speedily and explicitly arranging the terms of the Ex-Sultaun's submis- sion, lie was invited to send confiden- tial agents to meet and confer personally with the Resident, who offered tlicm a safe conduct. The Ex-Sultaun lost no time in deputing his most able agent, the son of an Arab priest, high in his favour, faithful to his trust, and of good talents for negociation and intrigue. He, with two of the subordinate chiefs of Palembang, who had followed the Ex-Sultaim in his flight, were received at Banca by the Resi- dent, in the month of April ; and in the beginning of the following month, a British 20 olAceri accompanied by a Dutch officer in tho Britinh service as intcrprctcri were sent on a mission to tlie £x-Sultaun. Tlie Britisli officer liad instructions to avail liimself of every opportunity to observe the strength^ position^ and resources of tliat Prince, and to assure liim tliat the Government would not admit of any ar- rangement injurious to tlie rights and interests of the reigning Sultaun; but that, if he would pay to the Government 500,000 dollars, he should be permitted to return to Palembang, and to live wherever he pleased, in quiet retirement under the protection of the British Go- vernment. The officer was also instructed to give him assurances of protection and ^ a safe conduct, and thus to induce him • to aiford the Resident a personal inter- view on Banca, or to throw himself upon the consideration of the Government of Java or the Governor- General of Bengal The officer was further instructed, in case the Ex- Sultaun objected to go himself, to receive proposals from him to send one of of his 80U8| to negociate for the terms of his residence at Palembarig; giving him at the same time clearly to understand, that in the event of the Government ac- ceding to such a wish, it could only be ef- fected by such an agreement as would give security to the sovereign rights, interests, and authority of the reigning Sultaun, Tlie Resident, more strongly to im- press on the Ex-Sultaun and his adlie- rents the expediency of entering upon some amicable arrangement consistently witli the basis proposed, ordered the pre- paration of the militaiy force under his command, with a view to hostile measures, in the event of the failure of his negocia^ tions. The Ex-Sultaun received the British officer deputed to him at Mararawas, with every mark of attention, civility, and honour; professed the most abject sub^ mission; and offered any atonement by payment of money which his means would allow : that he would pay down 50,01)0 dollars, and bhid himself to pay at a future 28 period 450,000 more, but with the inva- riable reservation that he should be per*-, mitted to return to Palcmbang restored to his sovereign dignity ; which condition he emphatically insisted upon, in expressing to the officer deputed to him; "that he •* might lose his head, but he could never ** submit to be disgraced in his own capi- " tal where he had reigned so many ** years/* He hoisted the British flag at his post, declared himself and all his peo- ple to be placed under the authority and protection of the British Government ; and in so doing, it may be supposed that he intended to convey to his own ad- herents, as well as to those of the reign- ing Sultaun, who were placed at a post but a short distance from him, the impression that the ncgociations he was pursuing con- cerned only the terms of liis restoration to sovereignty. The Resident continued in correspon- dence with the Ex- Sultaun, notwithstand- ing his avowed determination not to accede to any terms which did not in- clude elude his restoration ; and the £x- Suit auil used every artifice to convey to the chiefs and people of Palembang the belief, that such was the tendency of his negociations. These appearances had doubtless the effect of inducing many wlio were in obedience to the reigning Sultaun to prepare for a change of authority. His two younger brothers (one wlio by his elevation to the tlurone had succeeded him as Pangerang Adapattie, the other by title the Pangerang Ario) were now em- boldened to wait upon the Resident, and to request of him not to pursue any hostile measiu*es against tlie £x- Sultaun, for whom they professed their regard : to assure him that the reigning Sultaun had little power and no revenue, and that the minds and wishes of the people in general were favourably disposed towards the deposed Sultaun, who, for several years, had reign- ed over them. The Resident, considering the British force under his orders inadequate of itself to any hostile movement against the £x- 30 Sultaun ; and believing that he could not prudently rely upon the fidelity of the chiefs and people whom the reigning Sul- taun might direct to assist and support him; waited upon that Prince, and at a private audience communicated the substance of the information he had received from the Pangerangs Adapattie and Ario; and delivering his persuasion of the truth of their representations, he recommended that the Sultaun should re- sign in favour of his deposed brother, at the same time setting forth the hope that Government might, in compensation, give him the authority and title of Sul- taun over the island of Banca, with the prospect of again succeeding as Sultai^n of Palcmbang on the death of his brother. In reply to this proposition, the Sul- taun begged that the Resident would go on with his preparations for hostility against the £x-Sultaun, engaging to pro- vide amply the requisite aids of men and prows ; and that if arms and ammunition were furnished, he would put his stockade at at Mararawas in such a state of defence as to enable the Resident to commence operations within sight of the deposed Sultaun's works. The ammunition having been provided, the Resident, on the 19th June, proceeded up the river with forty men in the boats provided by the Sultaun, the crews of which deserted them on the 21st ; in con- sequence of which the Resident sent a gentleman back to Palembang, to repeat to the Sultaun his conviction of .the neces- sity of resorting to the proceeding he had contemplated, and which he had intimated in his last audience. Receiving at this time a communication from the officer at Mararawas, that the Ex- Sultaun had been informed of the ammunition supplied to the reigning Sultaun's party, and of the hostile preparations making at Palem- bang ; and that he felt great surprise and uneasiness at such appearances whilst a friendly negociation was pending ; the Re- sident in reply caused it to be communi- cated to the £x-Sultaun, that he had 32 adopted those measures in consequence of the money not being sent down, which alone, in proof of his submission, would warrant the Resident in treating with hhn ; but that if he would send the money he had offered to the Government, the Resi- dent would give him a personal interview. In tolcen of his sincerity, the Ex-Sul- taun immediately sent 100,000 dollars, under charge of Vakeels, who met the Resident on his way up the river on the 25th June, promising 100,000 dollars more in a few days. On the 2()th June the Resi- dent was met some miles downi the river by the Ex-Sultaun, who conducted him into his post, and attended him with every possible mark of honour and respect. The result of this interview was the conclusion of a treaty on the 29th June, by which the Ex-Sultaun was to be re- stored to the throne of Palcmbang. Tlie Resident left Mararawas on the 1st July 1813, taking with him the Pangerang Ratoo and the Pangerang Adie Mungala, the two eldest sons of the restored Sul- taun ; taun; and on his arrival at Palembang * waited upon the Sultaun Najm al Deen, and explained the terms of the treaty he had eoneludcd with the Sultaun Badr al Decn, to which the Resident, by his per- suasions, at length obtained the concur- rence of the Sultaun Najm al Deen, . On the 13th July the Sultaun Mahmood Badr al Decn entered the capital of Pa- lembang, where he was once more instal- led as Sultaun and Sovereign, in confor- mity with the stipulations of the treaty which had been previously arranged with the Resident at Mararawas, a copy of which forms Appendix, No. L The measures thus pursued by the Resident were entirely at variance with the instiiictions he had received from the* Government which ho represented, and correspondent with whose instructions his powers to act were necessarily defined and limited. Yet, from any circumstances previously connected with these measures, it will be difficult to qualify their adoption by inference of such an insuperable ne* 34 ccssityi as. could alone have justified the exercise of a paramount responsibility. The reasons by which the Resident ap- pears to have been actuated may be as- signed as follow : — First, the strength of the Ex-Sultaun's position at Mararawas, the inadequate \ and uncertain aids expected from the reigning Sultaun, the incompetency of the British force to nmke any attack with pro- bability of Nuccess, and the disastrous con- 8e(iuenccs of a failure. Even in the event of forcing that position, success would only lead to the more distant flight of the Ex- Sultaun with his treasures, and in the interior he would easily avoid the seizure of his person or the capture of his pro- perty. Secondly, the conviction that the chiefs and the people of Palembang were gene- rally favourable to the Ex-Sultaun*s resto- ration, and that the Sultaun Najm al Deen himself would be inclined to consider a compliance with the general wish (as the Resident understood it) most conducive to to his personal happiness and tranquil- lity, if connected with arrangements for his provision and security. Thirdly, the relief of the Palcmbnng country from the anarchy and disasters attendant on civil war ; and Lastly, the superior personal qualifica- tions of the Kx-Sulta\m compared with those of his brother, the reigning Sultaun, Ah to the first of these reasons, the Ex-Sultaun, according to the report of the British oflicer deputed to visit him at his post, had about two thousand followers, including all descriptions. He had selected a strong position, embracing both banks of the river, connected by an island, having all advantages of commanding ground with natural difliculties of access, rendered still more insurmountable by works of defence executed with great care and skill. The ofiicer considered six hun- dred cflicient troops necessary in any attempt to assault such a position, while the British force which the Resident could make disposable for such service did not D 2 exceed 36 exceed tliree hundred ; yet^ admitting tlie insuflicieney of such a force for offensive operations^ it cannot be denied to have been competent to check any offensive measures on the part of the Kx-Sultaun, Iloluid l)oen driven from liis flrst position in the nttnelc conducted by Capt. Meures with no greater resources than those ex- isting at tliis time. The reigning SultauUi also, had an advanced post only a few miles from that of the Ex-Sultaun, whereby his autliority was maintained over the con- siderable tract of country between that post and Palcmbang, and by which the Ex-S\dtaun was kept in check ; no urgent necessity, therefore, could be inferred from this reason Rospocting the second reason, it is certain that nuuiy of the chiefs were faitlifully and sincerely devoted to the reigning Sultaun. That many began to manifest a disposition in favour of the deposed Sultaim may also be true ; but to this they were induced at the instiga- tion of the emissaries of the £x- Sultaun. These, These, during a negociatioh of nearly three months, were permitted, in their visits to and from the Resident, to pass through the whole extent of the territo- ries aeknowledging the authority of the reigning Sultaim. Tlie miHsion also of two olUeers to tlie Ex-Sultaun gave* eountenance to tlie expectations Iicld forth to them of his restoration, a condition upon wliicli he had constantly insisted in his proposals of submission. At the same time, the hoisting of the English flag by the £x-Sultaun at his post, in presence of the ofliccrs deputed to him, and his public declaration that he was under the protection of the English Government, ailbrdcd appearances to cor- roborate and give ellVct to the assertion of his emissaries that such was the ton** dency of the negociations. The autho- rity and influence of the reignhig Sultaim over his chiefs would evidently, under such circmnstances, be much unpaired, and all would receive an impulse to shew their predilection, whether pretended or D 3 otherwise. 38 othemrisei for a prince who had reigned many years, and who seemed to have aeciuired the interjioHition of the autho* ritics of the British Govcmmcnt in sup- port of his return to the sovereign rule and dignity. As to the expected com- pliance of the Sultaun Najm al Dcen, it has been aheady related, that before the Resident went up the river to meet the Ex- Sultaun, the reigning Sultaun, m conference upon this subject, expli- citly declared his aversion to such a pro- cedure, and his ability and determina- tion, with the assistance of the British force, not only to resist his brother's pretensions, but to force lum from his position. Notwithstanding this positive refusal to abdicate, the Resident a few days after, on the 29th June, concludes the treaty with the Ex- Sultaun for his res- toration; and, within a few days more, retmns to Palcmbang, to acquamt the Sultaun that his concurrence was stipula- ted in the terms of the treaty, but that without his consent the treaty would not be be carried into eflfect. In the mean timei the greater number of the chiefs who, previous to this ncgociationi had been faithful to their allegiance due to the reign- ing Sultaun, seeing the die cast by the Resident's signature of this treaty, lose no time in offering their devotions to the returning prince. Tiius deserted by the British Resident, and consequently by his chiefs, the reigning Sultaun had no alter-^ native but acquiescence. Every motive for this acquiescence, therefore, originated in tlie acts of the Resident himself, who, on tlie contrary, would have l)e8t preserved the fidelity and aid of all tlie chiefs who liad submitted to the Sultaun Najm al Deen by a determinate line of con- duct and of policy in support of his au« thority. With respect to the third reason, it is evidently futile, unless established by the confirmation of the two preceding. At any rate, it was for the existing Govern- ment to decide on the expediency of the termination of such evils, by such means D 4 as t 40 as were nothing short of the tacit avowal of weakness, or an implied admission of the injustice of their former proceedings. No man of much intercourse with the world will deny the influence of personal character in important transactions, and especially in negociations. Although, therefore, the conduct and not the charac- ter of the Ex-Sultaun could be with pro- priety considered in his relations with the British Government, yet, so far as his character may appear to have induced the successful issue of his negociations, it will not be irrelevant to the subject to pourtray its principal features. Bom to succeed his father as sovereign of the country, he was trained to tlie contemplation of uncontrolled authority over his family, chieftains, and people. A mind active and discriminating, regu- lated his temper in subservience to his views ; either encouraging his naturally despotic disposition, or disciplining it into conciliation and submission. The cha- racter of a despotic prince, is altogether determined determined by the temper. That of this prince was evidently one, which viewed with impatience the imperfect limitation of his depotism by the presence and in- fluence of the Resident from a stronger European power, which he endured no longer than he thought consistent with his own security. Vigilant in the main- tenance and administration of his autho- rity, he was feared and respected by all his chiefs. Kind, courteous, and gene- rous to those who were so fortunate as to obtain his favour and confidence, stem and imrelenting towards those to whom he attributed real or supposed negligence or injury. Dissimulation and intrigue were the expedients of his policy, which he admirably adapted to his purpose. In stature he rather exceeded the com- mon height of the Malays ; with a genteel person, well-made, and a good counte- nance, which invariably marked the emo- tions of his mind. Of very prepossessing manners, and particularly so when his eyes glistened and his whole demeanor 42 evinced the gratification of his hearti oh receiving any commiuiication wliich ma- terially interested and pleased him ; but in the adverse case, no person could mis- take the expression of his features. Considering the imperfect state of know- ledge and the situation of his country, he appears to be a prince of considerable talent. Amongst the chiefs and people of Palembang, he may with strict truth, be said to have been as much feared as re- spected, more respected than beloved. Those chiefs whom he favoured with his bounty and his confidence, were devotedly attached to his Cause ; and those whom he had marked with his displeasure, were equally devoted to the fortunes of the reigning Sultaun. The character of the Sultaun Najm al Dcen is of a more unmeaning cast. He is a mild man, of a gentle and good dis- position, constant and kind to his friends, and forgiving to those who offend him when they express a conviction of theur error. By no means deficient in ability ; but but diffident in the exercise of his own judgment, over which those in his con* fidence had therefore much sway : his m« tcntions were always good, and his con- duct without disguise. Much beloved by his family and the chiefs in his confidence, his character did not impart to the respect which all were willing to shew him, that portion of awe, which is perhaps necessary to secm'c the good conduct of chiefs, es- pecially imder the circumstances in which he was placed by negociations to his pre- judice. He was also deficient in wealth, with which his brother the Ex-Sultaun abounded. He had, therefore, no means to encourage attachment by the extension of largesses, his revenues being only suffi- cient for his family and the due support of the dignity of his station. But he was considered generous and liberal, as far as his limited means would permit. That his mind received strong hnpressions of gra- titude, sufficient proof has already been adduced. In short, he may be described as a benevolent and good man ; but wanting sufficient 44 * sufficient cnergyi asapriiicei for the times and circumstances of the period to which this exposition refers. Tlie more commanding character of the deposed Sultaun^ from tliis description of tlic Sultaun Najm alDeen, will be manifest Joined to his superior manners, it gave him, in addition to the influence which wealth commands in all countries, decided advantages hi a comparison with his brother. These, however, were by no means such as to justify the negociations in his favour, in violation of a solemn treaty concluded with the reigning Sul- taun, and which had been ratified by all the autlioritics of the British Govern- ment. Previous to the deposed Sultaun* s ex- pulsion from the throne, the character of tyranny was attached to his government, not so much from any acts of his own, as from those of the Pangcrang Ratoo, his eldest son. Tliis youth, by his violent and profligate conduct towards a number of the inhabitants, had occasioned many enemies, enemies, and brought much odium uptin the government of his father. Wherever he appeared he carried terror and alarm ; but his assaults where chiefly directed, at night, against the quiet and peaceable in- habitants residing under the protection of the Dutch Factoiy. These atrocities he was enabled to commit with impiinity, previous to the conquest of Java ; as the Dutch Resident had lost all influence in the councils of the Sultaun, the intercourse being cut off with Batavia, from whence, in consequence of the war and the block- ade, he could obtain no support. The Dutch had, however, resolved to require from the Sultaun a redress of these wrongs, and securities for the controul of his son's conduct, whenever opportunity admitted the transport of troops to enforce their demand. The Pangerang Ratoo, on his return with his father to Palembang, seemed to have profited by the lesson of adversity. But although he never resumed his licen- tious acts, I much fear, from observation 40 of this youth, that he was rcstmincd by no sense of remorse or cultivation of better principle, but solely from fear of the con- sequences to himself. The Resident having delivered over his command andoflicetothe officer appointed to succeed him, the Pangerang Ratoo and the Pangerang Adie Mungala, the two eldest sons of the Sultaun Badr al Deen, were embarked according to treaty, to be conveyed to Batavia, where the Resident proceeded aU)ng with them to make report of these proceedings. As the Govern- ment of Java had conveyed no authority to the Resident to conclude any arrange- ment of the nature embraced by this treaty, and as no previous reports of the [ Resident respecting the tendency and pro- gress of his nogociations admitted any conjecture of their leading to such a ter- mination, it may be supposed that the Governor and Council, on receiving the intelligence of the occurrences at Palem- bang, were totally unprepared for such a result. The The Government immediately resolved to disavow the proceedings of their Re- sidenty to annul their operation, ,and to take instant measures for the re-establish- ment of the Sultaun Najm al Deen on the throne of Palembang, from which he had been displaced by the mere act of the Resident, contrary to his own inclination, and without any imputation of breach of his contract with the British Government, to the dignity and authority of which his whole conduct, since his installation by General Gillespie, had invariably mani- fested the utmost deference, respect, and gratitude. A military force was immediately em- barked, competent to carry into effect this resolution of Government, hi case the Sultaun Badr al Deen, then in possession of the throne, should evince a disposition to contest his authority. A Commission was appointed, consisting of the Naval and Military Commanders mid the Re- sident of Banca and Palembang, who had succeeded to that oflice. This Commission, •48 to which was attached a Political Agdiit, was entrusted with full powers to reinstate on the throne the Sultaun Ratoo Ahmed Najm al Dcen ; and to make an arrange* ment for the residence and security of the Sultaun Badr al Dcen, provided he offered no resistance to the execution of the pur- poses of Government* The CommisHion, with the military force, reached Palembang on the night of the I3th of August 1813. On the fol-" lowing morning the Resident waited upon each of the two Sultauns, to annoimce that the Commission would deliver the resolution of Government upon the treaty formed by the late Resident in the after- noon, when the two Sultauns, with the members of their family, were requested to attend, that it might be authentically conveyed to thenir In the afternoon a sufficient European force was sent from the post established on the site of the former Dutch fort, which had been occupied since the departure of General Gillespie. This force was de- tached ' tached across the river to occupy the ground near the Sultaun's palace ; close to which, but outside the walls, there was a large hall, where the Sultaun usually re- ceived the visits of the Resident. It was sufficiently capacious to allow his chiefs and attendants to sit around him, and here it had been previously settled that the Com- missioners would meet the two Sultauns. Tlie Sultaun Badr al Deen received the Commissioners, and the Resident >vent to fetch the Sultaun Najm al Deen from his residence in the adjoining palace of the Pangerang Ratoo. The two ultauns and the Commissioners being duly arranged, the attendants were requested to with- draw, after which the proclamation was read to the Sultauns and their families, of which the following is a translation. " Whereas it has come to the know- *^ ledge of the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor of Java and its dependencies, that the fonner Resident at Palembang has brought back to Palembang the ^* former Sultaun, Mahmood Badr al €€ it 50 ^^ Deeiiy from the post he held at Marara- ^^ was, and has exalted him to the throne^ y' by which act the treaty which had for* " merly been concluded and confirmed ** between the English nation and the '^ Sultaun Ratoo Ahmed Najm al Deenhas ** been broken, without any orders or au- ** thority from the Lieutenant Governor ** of Java, for so doing; and furthermore •* witliout the consent or concurrence of " the said Sultaun Ratoo Ahmed Najm al " Dccn : be it known, therefore, imto all " persons, that the Lieutenant Governor ** of Java does not acknowledge nor admit ** the acts which the former Resident has ** done in this case ; neither wiU he know, " nor will he acknowledge any other Sul- •* taun in Palcmbang, than the Sultaun* ** Ratoo Ahmed Najm al Deen, who had " been confirmed upon the throne. " But as the former Sultaun, Mahmood " Badr al Deen, has placed faith and con^- " fidence in the English flag, for this ^ ^ reason the Lieutenant Governor of Java " will shew him every consideration, and " afford ^^ afford him every possible assistance and ^* protection, so long as he ddes not op-* *^ pose the authority and title of the Sul-- ** taun Ratoo Ahmed Najm al Deen, nor ** distm*b the peace of the country, ^* Commissioners arc accordingly sent f* to Palembang, with due powers and ** authority to carry into effect the intent ^* of this proclamation, and to reinstate ** the Sultiiun Ratoo Ahmed Najm al *^ Deen on the throne of Palembang, ac-: ** cording to former treaty, ^* Given at Batavia, the fourth day of " August 1813, or seventh of the moon " Shaubun 1228/' A copy of this proclamation was then delivered to each Sultaun, The Sultaun Badr al Dccn heard it read with evident chagrin, but with dignified composure; and I may say, that the Commissioners, one and all, commise- rated him, and admired the calm, though acute feeling, he manifested upon the oc- casion. He was assured that Govern- ment would afford him protection, and B 2 every 52 every means in their power to render his residence comfortable and respectable within the Palcmbang country, or, if he preferred it, in any part of the British territories. He was, of course, required to give possession of his fort to the Bri- tish troops, until he could arrange his removal from the palace ; for which he was allowed an interval of three days ; at the end of which, the fort and palace were delivered over to the Sultaun Najm al Deen, who in the meanwhile bad pro- claimed over the country his resumption of the sovereignty. The Connnissioners had intimated to the Sultaun Badr al Deen that the sum of 200,000 dollars, which the former Resi- dent had received on the part of Govern- * ment, would not be retained, and that his two sons, who had arrived at Batavia as hostages, would be sent back by an early opportunity. A new treaty was then concluded with the Sultaun Najm al Deen, in which it will be observed that stipulations were nuido made for the comfort and security of the Ex-Sultaun, Badr al Deen, under the protection of the British Government. The sum of 100,000 dollars was paid to the reigning Sultaun, in satisfaction of all claims he might advance by the second article of the former treaty, by which a portion of the revenues of Banca were to be reserved for his benefit, but from which hitherto he had received nothing, as the expenses of the island had exceeded the revenue. This article of the former treaty was therefore annulled and omitted in that now framed, of which a translation is given in the Appendix, No. 11. On the flight of the Ex-Sultaun from Palembang, on appearance of the arma- ment under General Gillespie, he had carried with him the regalia of his olhce. Although the Government had confirmed the £x-Sultaun in the possession of all the treasures he had brought dowii with him from Mararawas, the reigning Sultaun considering the articles which constituted the regalia as the property of the state, 54 # to be held by the Sultaun in exercise of the sovereignty, submitted his eldm to these articles, and the necessity of his possession of them, as the insignia of his authority, proper to be displayed on par- ticular occasions. The Ex- Sultaun having refused the application of the Resident for their delivery to the reigning Sultaun, the question was referred by him to the Government of Batavia. The Sultaun at this time sending am- bassadors to Batavia, to return thanks to Government for the marks of support and friendship of which he had received such full evidence, gave instructions to his emissaries to lay before the Governor the nature of his pretensions to the regalia. * Tlie Ex- Sultaun, in order, it is to be presumed, to keep up his own impor- tance, and to weaken as much as possible the authority of the reigning Sultaun, was in the habit of inviting the chiefs to enter- tainments, and fretpiontly on occasions when the Sultaun held his levees. Still encouraging the hopes of his restoration from 55 from tlie Supreme Govehifhent of Bengal, and instilling, through his partizahs, that expectation in the minds of the chiefs. The Resident was under the necessity of carefully explaining to them the impossibi- iity of such an event, and in order to com- mand a proper sense of allegiance and res- pect from the chiefs to the reigning Sultaun, and to give their fears a contraiy direction, he was itnder the necessity of advising the Sultaun to prohibit the visits of the chiefs to the £x- Sultaun, without, in the first instance, obtaining his permission, which the Sultaun was advised to jgrant, as the fonh itself would operate as a sulficient check. The Resident informed the Ex- Siiltaun that he had suggested such a measure, and that for the future the chiels would be required to have the sanction of the reigtihig Sultaun previous to paying him any visits. Tlie Ex-Sultaun was ex- ceedingly nu)rti(lcHl on learning thin inten- tion, atid expressed his feeliiig of its ellect by observing, ^* if you inalvc a hole Ivith B 4 '* a needle, 56 ■ • ^' a nccdlcy you can easily draw the thread «• after it." The orders of Government soon after arrived, that the Ex-Sultaun sliould bo required to deliver over the regalia to the reigning Snitaun. The £x-Sultaun had denied that the articles hi question consti* tutcd any such insignia^ aflirming that they were private property which had de- scended to him from his father, and posi- tively resisted every argument of persua- sion which the Resident for several days employed, to induce his submission to the order. At length the Resident was neces- sitated, in consequence of the failure of every possible hitreaty and persuasion, to order the appearance of a militaiy force, . but before proceeding to the extremity of using coercive measures, he sent word to the Ex-Sultaun that the military were prepared to proceed across the river if he longer refused to conform to the requi- sition. Notwithstanding this warning, he still refused compliance. His answer was no no sooner received than the troops were embarked in boats^ and proceeded with the Resident to the Ex-Sultaun's residence in the old fort surrounded by a wall. On tlieir arrival he surrendered himself^ and was taken to the military post, where his per- son was under restraint until he delivered up the regalia, when he was permitted to return to his residence, from which he had been three days absent. He had the satisfaction to find, on his going back, that his family and property had been carefully protected during his absence by the guard, which the Resident directed for that pui*posc, so that he had nothing to regret but the degradation to which he had uselessly exposed hhnself by his per- tinacious resistance. The chiefs having received from these proceedings a full conviction of the per- manency of the reigning Sultaun's autho- rity, began to think their interests con- nected with the duty they owed to him as their sovereign. Though the reigning Sultaun had not much wealth to distribute 58 in presents and dresses^ as marks of his bounty, and on customary oecasions of their marriage, he was liberal as far as his -ability Would admit. But he had all the patronage of the sovereignty to bestow^ in grants of villages, of more or less value, on those who proved themselves worthy of his favour. The far greater part of the chiefs had at once yielded submission, and were confirmed, of coiu*se, in the estates they had enjoyed by the appoint-- mcnt of the fonncr Sultaun. Others, who had indulged the expectation of the Ex- Sultaun*8 return to dominion, gradually attached themselves to the reigning Sul- taun, who, after receiving proofs of their perfect allegiance, restored them to their villages. A few who had adhered to the fortunes of the Ex- Sultaun during the whole period of his flight, and whose attachment no doubt was sincere, were dispossessed of their tenures, which the reigning Sultaun of course divided amongst his truest friends. Thus 60 Thus the authority and dignity of th^ • Sultaun Najm al Doon had been finnly established^ and the utmost tranquillity ' reigned throughout the Palembang terri^ tones. The Ex-Sultaun and his few faith* iul adherents kept up, as far as lay in their power, a discontent with the admi^ nistration of the reigning prince, and gave occasional inquietude by complaints to the Resident. Tliesc were found to rest, generally, on vexatious grounds, or on some pretence affirmed by one party and denied by the other, and the merits of which it would have been as unimportant as impossible to ascertain. In this, as in all other countries, faction found food for discontent ; but here it met with reward from a man who possessed more wealth than the Sovereign himself. Nothing further worthy of notice oc-. curred during the remaining three years of the British possession of the Island of Banca and of the factory at Palembang. The two sons of the Ex-Sultauu were not detained many months at Batavia. 60 One^ the Pangerang Adi Mungala, had returned to Palembang at the tune of the delivery of the regalia^ he bemg a young man of very estimable character. The eldest^ Pangerang Ratoo^ of a contrary character^ was not sent back until the end of the year. A delay took place in the repayment of the 200,000 dollars^ as it was referred to the Supreme Government whether this sum should be divided amongst the Sul- taun and the two other brothers, the Pangerangs Adipattie and Ario, or given back to the Ex-Sultaun. The claims of the Sultaun and his younger brothers were advanced on these grounds. By the Mahommedan law, which pre- vails at Palembang, in cases of descent, the estate of the deceased dying intestate is divided in proportions', giving two shares to each son and one to each daughter ; but in case of the demise of the Sultaun, the whole inheritance falls to the eldest son, his successor, upon whom the duty devolves of making proper provision provision for his brothers^ who are there- fore left in perfect dependence upon his generosity and good- will. Thus the Ex- Sultaun^ at his accession on the death of his father, acquired the accumulated treasures of his forefathers. Having been deposed and his brother elevated to the throne, the latter sub- mitted, on behalf of himself and younger brethren, a claim to their poosakay or portion of inheritance allotted by the Alcoran. They more particularly m*ged this pretension upon the sum which had been placed in the hands of Govern- ment. The Sultaun, besides advancing this claim in point of law, urged the satisfac- tion of it as matter of expediency, as he very naturally observed that the Ex-Sul- taun was already sufficiently wealthy for every purpose of splendour and comfort to his family and himself, and also to enable him to excite disaffection, the evils of which an addition to his preponde- rating means would only increase. 62 *. The Sultaun further argued^ that the Ex^Sultaun was now relieved from the participation of his brethren in the pro- perty which had descended to him, as the Ex- Sultaun would give them nothing but on conditions incompatible with their duty and allegiance to him the reigning Sultaun. The Supreme Government having con- sidered the subject of this reference, was of opinion that Government could not. keep the amount, or any part, from the Ex- Sultaun, which he had delivered in consequence of a treaty which had been wholly set aside. Repayment to him was therefore ordered, together with interest for the time that had elapsed. The Supreme Government also ordered such compensation for the regalia as the Ex-Sultaun might point out : but he would never consent to any other equivalent than articles of the same form, which could not possibly be granted. Such was the general position of affairs m Palembang, at the period of the cession ■• of the Island of Banca, in the month of ^ December 03 December 1816. It is evident that the; preponderating riches of the Ex-Snltaun^; (who possessed perhaps as much as the Sultaun and all the Chiefs put together),; with the divided inclinations of the people in favour of his title by descent, would^ at any moment operate as an active sti-; mulation for the subversion of the reigning Sultaun, whenever an opportunity was. presented. Such would, especially, be. the withdrawment from the reigning Sul- taun of the support of the European- power which gave stability and union to, the chiefs under his authority. Tlie Netherlands Government, on re-: ceiving possession of the factory at Pa->.' lembang, would be conscious of the fulU effect of their influence in the adminstra- : tion of the government of the Sultaun^ placed in authority by the British Govern- ment. They would therefore have best I consulted the dignity and respectability of <• their own character, as well as their per-- manent interests, by an adherence to the policy of that Government, and merely 64 preserving a commanding influence. This it was necessary to maintain for the effi* cient government of the island of Banca, and to protect the interests of Government in that possession ; to the improvement of which every effort and every means in the power of the Netherlands Government should have been directed, and of which, it was to be expected, the revenues and resources would prove it so well to merit. The contiguity of the Island of Banca to the Palcmbang state, which had been the principal source of wealth to the Sul- tauns of that country, and the close con- nexion of the principal inhabitants with that state, rendered it necessary, for a few years at least, that a proper influence should be preserved with the Sultaun in authority at Palcmbang. The measures pursued at Palcmbang by the authorities of the Netherlands Government were certainly at variance with an equitable and just policy. Tliese seem also to have been dictated, not so much by a desire to insult and degrade the the BritifiU Government (though the pro* test of Sir Stamford Raffles affords too just grounds to reason that such was their tendency) as by a motive certainly not more laudable^ a desire to aid their pecu<» niary wants, by inviting the Ex- Sultaun to part with his treasures. The divisions of . the principal chiefs into two parties served also to extend their authority over the internal government of Palembung, To seize at one gi*asp a sum of money which would have required four years of honest and upright administration of Ban- ca to acquire, was a temptation too allur- ing for their mercenary policy to resist. The object was too glittering, to allow any considerations of honour and dignity to stand in competition with its attainment. It was evident, that the Ex- Sultaun would not part with his money but in re- muneration for his return to sovereignty. But he had been deposed in consequence of the murder of their countrymen, who, • on the faith of treaty and alliance, were ' residing in his capital and under his F protection. cd protection,. Tliis would occasion some hesitation : but the money was of much moro weighty and such scruples of honor were thrown out of the scale. Also, as ho had been deposed by the British Go- verninent, he would become the tnier friend to the Dutch upon his restoration by them, and their oblivion of the fate of tlicir countiymen. To state the possible contemplations of the Netherlands Authorities in further- ance of this righteous end, they would perhaps conunune one with another as follows. The present Sultaun was elevat- ed to the throne by the British govern- ment, and he, poor weak man, allows the old-fashioned principle of gratitude^ for such favour to burthen his mind. Not adverting to the wiser examples of our- selves and of European statesmen, he has wickedly and foolishly avowed that he can never forget his obligations to the Britisli . government,* notwithstanding he is sen- . sible ^ ViJo Suhaun or Pulembang*i letter to Sir Stamrord lUlIlci. 67 Bible of the extreme aversion with which we ever hear the name of that Govern- > ment mentioned in the Eastern Seas. It iSy therefore, necessary that we should contrive some reasons for his dethrone- ment : cogent, or the contrary, is of lit- tle signification, when we have the power to do as we please. We can easily devise some plausible pretext about * the faults of his govern- ment. These we shall find all ready for our hearing, as soon as we manifest any disposition to aid the views of the Ex- Sultaun, the industry of whose partizans, with the circulation of liis money, will collect all the discontent in accumulated evidence of wrongs endured from the ad- • 1 ministration of Najni al Deen. To this we can add a tale about the cruelty and oppres- sion of forced labour and deliveries, To give greater countenance and plausibility to this nice little reason, we can also quote the example of Sir Stamford Raffles, who, finding such a system to have prevailed on the island of ^Tava under the Dutch F 2 government, 08 govenimenty par excellence^ abolished it throughout the territories belonging to the British government^ where he had a right and authority^ as the delegates of the sovereign power, so to do. Therefore, par excellence^ not with a view to benefit the country or the people, but to give a fair complexion to our insidious designs, we will abolish this system in a country, with the internal government of which we have no right or authority whatever to interfere ; but which will very opportunely create confusion • in Palembang, by the subversion of all its ancient customs. There is also the Tihan and Tookan^ another source of revenue to the Sultaun • which is of ancient right, and to which we can affix the epithets of oppressive and tl/rannicaL\ Therefore, with the same pretext of humanity, and regard for the people, on our tongues, but with our eyes fixed on the Ex-Sultaun's wealth, we can find * Vide SulUun Najm al Deen's letter to Sir Stamford Baffles, t Vide Mr. Mi|nt!oghe*i reply to Sir T. Stamford Raffles. ■ik find another cause of quarrel with the Sultauu Najm al Decn. He willy in all probability^ resist our orders for the abolition of these feudal rights claimed by himself and his chiefs. It, on the contrary, he does not resist, but ' attempts to execute this violation of all the ancient customs of his country, his chiefs certainly will prevent him ; so that we shall be enabled, at any rate, to urge his disaffection to our government as the cause of his removal from the throne. It is very true, that by no treaty, either of former or of present times, can we establish any pica or pretence to justify a violation of the established laws and customs which have prevailed for ages in that country, and by which the rights,. • privileges, and duties of all ranks and classes are ascertained and Axed. Wo can, however, state our reasons so plau- sibly upon paper, ** that we announce to " the poor inhabitants the abolition of " their Itbafi and Tookan of every kind " of forced labour and delivery of pro- F 3 " duce. 70 ^^ ducei and above all of the abominable ^' custom of enslaving, not only indivi- ^^ duals ybut whole families and generati- ^^ ons of them, for the triflhig amount of a " civil dcbt/^* Such sounds will strike in such sweet harmony and concord the ear of all those ignorant of the concerns, the customs^ and the habits of the people of this state, that the violence and ini-* quity of our real intentions will never once appear. Liberal men will not ques- tion whether we possess a right which will justify such an interference in the internal affairs of a country never under our con- troul, and to govern which we have no manner of title; but viewing only the humanity we set forth, to delude them; they will qualify the means by the accom- plishment of the end. It is true " it was, and ever will be, *^ the glory of the late Lieutenant Go- " vcrnor of Java" to have proclaimed an amelioration of the Dutch system which prevailed throughout those terri- tories. * Vide Mr. Muntinglie*s reply \o Sir T. Stamford Raffles. tones. The Dutch nation being esctinett the British Authorities were also com- petent to make arrnngcments, in per- petuityi for the government of the terri- tories which bcclune annexed to the British dominions. But the new system introduced at Java was strictly confined to those lands which belonged to the British Government, and the Native Princes, who enjoyed the rights of the internal govern- ment of their o^vn provinces, had those rights respected. But even in the territories of Java sub- ject to the entire authority and controul of the British Government, the new system was introduced with caution and mode- ration, and with due consideration to those whose interests might be affected by the change.* But we, the Netherlands Authorities, par ewcellencey setting at defiance every principle of moderation, justice, and equity, the law of nations or any other F 4 law, * Vide RofBes' History of Ja?a> toI. ii. Appendix D 72 law, but that of our owii intcrcBtcd pur- pose, will lay violent hands upon the ter- ritories of Palembang. We will also insult the British nation by the imprison- ment of the Sultaun, from whom they had obtained the Island of Banca, and which their government was silly enough to deliver to us without any stipulations, but in full confidence that we should not abuse the authority which thus reverted tons. The conduct of the Netherlands' Autho- rities towdrds the Sultaun and the Palem- bang state, as above fairly deduced from the communications of Sir Thomas Stam- ford Raffles , can only be compared to the * worst acts of the worst government of* France, during the worst period of the French revolution. Impelled by the mo- tive which actuated those fiends, the ac- quisition of plunder in the neighbouring states, they have, under the same mask of humanity and benefit to the people, employed means the most unjustifiable, unlawful, and outrageous ; taking advan- tage tage of one faction to destroy and lay waste the rights and interests of the whole, for the furtherance of their own mercenary and aggrandizing projects. Without any regard to the honour and character of their nation, they have ex- • pelled and imprisoned one Sultaim, whom they were bound to respect on every prin- ciple of gratitude to the British nation, as well as from just conception of the* obligations of treaties. Tliey have as-^ sumed a right of governing a country, ;w^hich was from time immemorial governed by its own Sultaun and princes, Who have violated no treaties and infringed no. obligations of a dependent ally. They have raised to the throne the Sultaun under whose rule the murder of their countrymen took place; and it is said they have received 500,000 dollars as the price of their blood, and remimeration for their own degradation and dishonour. They have ^endeavoured, as the climax of wrong, to make this Sultaun the in stru- ment of their rapacious designs. Thinking 74 ■ • that they bad extracted the stingy and by seizing his treasures had taken from him all power and means of resistance^ they have believed that he would submit to every project of ignominy to himself and injury to his country. But they have experienced, that though he would part with his money to recover lost power and dignity, he would not com* promiHc hit) honour, nor become abase instrument of those whom he had bought to accomplish their vile purposes. These were, the subversion of his authority, the degradation and ruin of his chiefs and all the respectable people of his country, and the subjection of the whole to their unprincipled and remorseless schemes of agKnuKlizcmcnt. The errors of a British Resident became the model of perfection to these lawless statesmen. Tlie Sultaun Badr al Deen put confidence in him and in the Govern- ment by which he was deputed. Though he was aware the British Resident was acting without authority from his Govern- ment, J 75 inent^ he \axew that his motives And intentions were pure and guileless. He justly thought^ also^ that although the British Government might disavow and impugn the acts of their Resident^ they would not allow the confidence which he had reposed to operate to his prejudice : he had| therefore, no hesitation in placing his sons in the hands of the BritiHh Go- vennnent. Therefore tlio Netherlands* Authorities, with the worst designs, con« eluded that he would confide his sons in their hands, and thereby they would be able to consign them to perpetual im*" prisonment, or to secure his consent to the ruin of himself, his family, his chiefs, and his country. The demand of the Netherlands' Govom-* ment upon the Sultaun whom they had raised to the throne for the delivery of his sons, as hostages for his performance of stipulations which were to seal tho sacrifice of his country, much to the ho* nour of that Sultaun, the chiefs, and the 76 people of Palembangy excited an undi* vided sentiment of indignation against tlie faithless and treacherous purposes of the Nctlicrh\nds' Autliorities^ and roused in them a dctennincd resistance of the projected measures wliich were to involve them in calamity and ruin. Tliat resistance, on two successful occasions, has shewn to the wicked Ad- ministrators of the Netherlands* power, that a people naturally disposed to ease and tranquillity can be awakened to a sense of wrongs past endurance, and arc capable of exertion in defence of their just privileges, their property, and their laws. And who is the man, selected by the * Netherlands* Authorities, through whose agency they conunittcd these flagrant out- rages ? Why, Mr. Muntinghe ! He was a Member of the Council of the British Government on Java, where he had the opportunity of learn- ing the language of benevolence and justice. justice^ of which^ if we may judge by his recent practice^ he but imperfectly* acquired either the meaning or the scnti* ment. He it was who was so exasperated^ and justly so^ on receiving at Batavia the tidings of the murder of his coun- trymcn at Palcmbang. Yet it was he who was so active in instigating the British Government against the authors of that massacre ; he it is^ also, who has received^ onbchalf of the Netherlands' Government, 500,000 dollars as a sct-olT for that atro- cious deed, and in rccompcnce of every injustice of his employers, impiously directed to subvert the Sultaun who had been raised to the throne in revenge of the fate of his countrymen, by the coun- cils of that humane Government of which he could once pride himself in being a member, and not an agent of injustice. Mr Muntinghe, in his letter to Sir T. S. Raffles, says ^^ that he relied on the " natural force of truth to convince the 78 ^^ Sultaun Najm al Dcen of lus wrongS) *^ and of the acts of hostility which he '^ had committed^ or allowed to bo com* •* niittcdbyhis subjcctSi as well on our •* own territories as on those of our *^ allies/^* Very pretty phraseology, Mr. Muntinghe: very good *• springes to ** catch woodcoclcs/* and very worthy of the cause you have espoused. I have al- ready given a very just interpretation of the indeRnito wrongs. With respect to any acts of hostility committed or permitted by the Sultaun Najm al Deen against the temtories of the Netherlands* Govennnent, I will stake my character and existenco on the assertion that any such imputation is groundless and, malevolent. It carries on the very face of it a gross inconsistence. Who arc the aUies? ex- cepting Mr. Muntinghe had abeady made an ally of the Ex-Sultaun (and he will not venture to quote him, as he had no terri- tories, ^ vide Mr. Muntingho*s letter to Sir Stamford llaffles. 79 t torieSy although he had ahundance of wealth to excite cupidity)^ I know of no allies with whom the Sultaun or his people could possibly come in contact, I beg pardon ; the Palcmbang territories come in contact with Bcncoolen, which be- longs to the ally of the Netherlands* Government, viz. the English, I would as readily believo that the Sultaun Najm al Decn hud committed hostilities against the English at Ueneoolon, as 1 will be- lieve that Mr. Muntinghe can establish any act of hostility against the Ne^ thcrlands' Government, It is all an un- worthy subterfuge, intended to vindieato their acts in lilurope, by imposing on the credulity of those who may be ignorant of the relations of the Palcmbang state ; or to give some semblance of a rightful proceeding, for argument, to those who may be disposed to lend an ear of *^villing belief. Very possibly a trick may have been contrived by the Ex-Sultaun (who is very 80 capable of such oii artifice) t6 commit some outrage upon Banca by people hired for that pui*pose at Palembang^ to give the Dutch a plausible pretext for complaint^ at least) against the reigning Sultaun, But such a trick could not have imposed upon Mr. Muntinghe : he is a man of too much sense. But he might allow it to be put upon him^ and it might pass with those who had not the same means nor the same sense to detect it. Such a scheme would come very opportunely to assist the phraseology and the unrighteous purposes of Mr. Muntinghe. Then, to shuffle away all proof of mqmry into such acts of hostility, we have the following very prettily pointed sentence from Mr. Muntinghe : Of the facts constituting such a breach of faith (on the part of the Sul- taun), they, the Netherlands' Govern- ment, are naturally, as an independent power, the sole judge, in this quarter of ** the earth, and it would be highly im- •^ proper €€ €€ €€ €€ I II ^^ proper to enter into any justification of " them/'* ;;| Mr. Muntinghe will allow that I had good opportunities of studying the eha« racters^ both of the Sultaun Najm al Deen whom he has deposed^ and of the Ex- Sultaun whom he has restored. I may be permitted to say, that I know inti- mately the Sultaun Najm al Deen; and am persuaded of his deference to the government of Java by whatever power administered, whether English or Dutch. He knew that the alliance of that power was the only balance he had against the influence of his brother's (the Ex-Sul- taun's) preponderance of yiches, and the impressions in his favour as the rightful sovereign by descent. That that power had only to declare their favourable de- signs towards the Ex- Sultaun, to wrest his sovereignty from him in a moment and give it to his brother, he was well aware. Will any man be credulous enough to believe, that, thus circumstanced, he would Q commit * Vide Mr. Muntinghe*! Letter to Sir Stamford RaiBet. ?H I 82 commit any act of hostility, direct or in direct, against the power to which he look* ed for the support of his dignity and au* thority ? I do not hesitate to express my conviction, from my knowledge of his character, that he would not, though he had been independent of the alliance of that power. For the truth of these obser- yations I appeal to my predecessor, and to every other English officer or gentleman who had any knowledge whatever of the two Sultauns, whether it were possible that the reigning Sultaun, NajmalDeen, should commit or sanction any hostility against the territories of the Government of Java. As for their allies, excepting the English, I do not suppose the Sultaun could have named one of them; at least he must have made most diligent, and after all useless search, to find any within two hundred miles of Palembang: and Mr. Muntinghe will not have the assurance ' even to hint that he could equip an hostile mission to such a distance. I have thus, I hope, refuted, to the satis- faction of every candid and impartial mind, the th6 reasons alleged by Mr. Muntinghei on the part of his Government. I have shown the total ^impossibility of their resting a vindication of their measures towards the Sultaun Najm al Deen on any acts of hostility committed or al- lowed by him, or any hostile intention. WherCj then, shall we find any shadow of justice in the extravagant demand upon that unhappy Sultaun, for the partition of his country with the Sultaun Badr al Dcen^ or his dethronement on a refusal of com* pliance ? But whilst we are reflecting on the in- justice of the Netherlands* Authorities to- wards the unfortunate Sultaun, individu- ally, let us not lose sight of their rapacious designs upon the whole of the Palembang state. Let us look at their plan of partitioning the country, of separating the Sultaun from the chiefs, the chiefs from the peo- ple, and the subversion of all the ancient laws and customs of the country, vnth the sole manifest intent of creating general confusion, distress, and ruin, and, in the o 2 wreck 84 yrreck of the state, making plunder and property of the country. • Are we to be told, that the Netherlands' Authorities on Java are the sole judges of the propriety of these transactions in that quarter of the earth ? Yet we have an un- questionable right to require some expla- nation of proceedings which affect a coun- tr)% under the sovereignty of a Native Prince, whose territories adjoin our posses- sion at Bencoolcn, and which are entirely detached and insulated from the island of Java, where the superior sovereignty and rights of the Netherlands' Government may be clearly acknowledged, free from any Interference whatever of any other power. The question of our right and our inte- rest to require justice and equity to be observed by the Netherlands' Government towards the Palembang state, is quite dis- tinct from any matter affecting the Native. Princes of Java, with whom we may have . no concern ; and the reasoning advanced in the protest of Sir Stamford Raflles, in maintenance of this right, is indisputable : to that, therefore, I shall refer. The The relations of the Dutch nation and theur East-India Company with the state of Palembang were regulated by treaties and commercial contracts, all acknowledge ing the sovereign authority of the Sultaun over the country ; and the Sultaun was always peremptory in guarding against in-* terference in the internal administration of his territories. The authority of the Dutch was confined strictly within the precincts of their fort and factory, and the protection of their trade. The fort in* eluded a space within its walls rather more than four and a half English acres, it being nearly a square, the sides of which were about four hundred and fifty feet in length. The liberties of the factory ex- tended to forty pikes* length, or four hun- dred feet in every direction about the walls of the fort. These limits were bet-^ ter defined by the natural boundaries of three streams, which run on the two sides and the rear, the front being towards the main river. These streams were called the Soongy Tanga Panjang, the Soongy Loompoor, which joined the Soongy- Aor 86 » to the rear. These treaties and compacts were dissolved when the Dutch nation no longer existed as a political and inde« pendent society.* Whatever pretension^ therefore, the Ne- therlands' Government might advance to a connexion with the Palembang state, from the reversion of the government of Java to their authority, must conse- quently rest upon the treaties existing between the Palembang state and the Government of Java, as conveyed over to them. But whether we revert to former treaties with the Dutch nation, or admit them to the treaties existing between the Govern- ment of Java as delivered over to them,* the conduct of the Netherlands' Govern- ment towards the Palembang state will appear equally exceptionable and odious. The security and independence of all states would be established on a very frail basis indeed, if, under the pretence of improving the laws and bettering the condition * vide chap, ISi book il. of Vatteri Law of Nations. condition of the people, a stronger power be permitted to take upon itself the as« sumption of administering the internal government and affairs of a weaker state. Such a doctrine would suit the purposes and the principles of a set of demagogues ; but the Netherlands' Authorities should recollect, that their nation has been es- tablished upon the success of the very contrary maxims, and that their colonies were restored to them on the faith of their adherence to the injunctions of a just and equitable policy. To make a summary of their atrocities : They have deposed the friend and ally of a nation to whom they owe, not only their own existence, but all the benefits they have derived from the restoration of the valuable possessions in India. They have elevated a man in his place, to whom had been attached the responsi- bility of the murder of their countrymen. They have received a bribe of 500,000 dollars for this iniquitous act : and by the commission of it, and in their pro- gress towards it, have invaded the pro- 88 perty, the laws^ customs^ and indepen- dence of the state^ which they have endeavoured to bring under their own subjection by violence and fraud. They have been guilty of all these unto- ward acts without one solitary reason con- nected with their own security, but solely instigated by their mercenary interests and tlieir views of aggrandizement. Let us now take a shoit view of the question as it has appeared before Par- liament. In reply to the Marquis of Lansdowne's speech for the production of papers con- nected with this subject 9 Earl Bathurst states, as one of his arguments, that when Java was conquered by us from the French, ** the Dutch " (who, by the by, were not then a nation) ** had an esta- ** blishmcnt on Banca, which would have •• boon replaced, so that, couHistently •• witli the treaty, both places (if. Banca " and Cochin) would have been in their ** power." His Lordship here labours under a great mistake. The Dutch never had an establishment m establishment on Banca. Before the ces- sion of that Island to Great Britain, the government and affairs thereof were nn^ interruptedly administered by the Sultaun of Palcmbang. Whatever may be the strength of his Lordship's argument, or of the inferences from it, on this ground, therefore, it rests on a false foundation. The interests of the Dutch, when they were a nation, will be clearly understood by the following article of the Dutch contract with the Sultaun of Palembang, to wliich I should give the date somewhere between 1790 and 1800. I have no means of knowing it, except as I have ascer- tained the most productive period of the island of Banca under the Sultaun' s go- vemmcnt, to which this article evidently bears reference. Art. 4. ''As it is the wish of the » '* Honourable Company to give satisfac- '' tion to the Sultaun, and a token of '* their attachment (though not bound by *' former contracts), they will not, as by •' former contracts, receive only the 90 '' 30,000 peculs of 125 lbs. each, but ^' also all the tin which the island of *' Banca, or other territories of his High- ** ncss, mayproduce* ^ ' The Sultaun and the Pangerang Ratoo " also engage, on their part, to deliver ♦* not only the said 30,000 pecnls of tin of " 125 lbs. each (provided no unforeseen << circumstances occur, which the smd " princes will duly communicate to the ** authorities at Bataviaand Palembang), ** unmixed and pure to the Honourable ** Company, to the exclusion of all other ** nations, but also all the tin which is ** yearly dug on the island of Banca, or '* in the territories under tlie authority of ^^ his Highness, after the following man- ** ner. '' Tlie first 20,000 peculs at the former ** agreed price of thirteen and one-third " rix-doUars, or ten Spanish dollars, for ^^ each pecul at Palembang, and fifteen ^' rix-dollars at Batavia. '' The following 1,000 peculs for fifteen •• rix-dollars at Palembang, and seven- ^^ teen rix-dollars at Batavia. •* But 91 ^^ But if the court at Palembang de- livers 35,000 pceuls or more annually, the Company will pay fifteen rix-doUara at Palembang, and seventeen rix-dollars at Batavia, for each pccul, from the first to the last inclusive. Which advance of price on the first 20,000 peculs de- livered, either at Palembang or Bata- via, shall be paid on receipt of the last delivery completing 35,000 peculs or more. ** On the contrary, the Sultaun and the Pangerang Ratoo engage, on their part, to allow the Honourable Com- pany a deduction of one rix-doUar per pccul on the actual delivered quantity, in case the whole amount of the yearns delivery of tin should fall short of 20,000 peculs/' There is nothing m this article to ques- tion the sovereignty of the Sultaun of Palembang, nor a tittle of evidence where- on to conjecture an establishment of the Dutch on Banca: Earl Bathurst has, therefore, misconceived the matter, or he has received wrong infonnation from some interested • 92 interested Dutchman. The fact is simply as I have stated it : they never had an establishment on Banca. Earl Bathurst further says^ that Sir Stamford Raffles was vested with no poli- tical authority whatever at Bcncoolen. By this must be meant^ that in a case of the honour and interests of the British nation being attacked^ and requiring the immediate interposition of the British Authorities^ he is to be a calm spectator, neither employing his hands nor his pen to avert the injury, but patiently awaiting a reference to the Supreme Government to which he is subordinate, at a distance of one thousand eight hundred miles, with all the chances incident to the con- • veyance of hb report and the reply across the ocean. Every Englishman would, I think, in such case, and circumstanced as he was, decide with Sir Stamford Raffles, that he had at least authority to protest against any such acts. At any rate, whether Sir Stamford Raffles had or had not the authority, it is fortunate fortunate for the English character that he acted as he did. Had he quietly looked on^ I am persuaded that the Sul- taun, the chiefs^ and all the thinking people of Palembang, would have con- cluded that we had connived at and. abetted the aggressions of the Netherlands' Oovemment^ and we should have had the credit of sharing in the plunder. From any unputation of that sort, we owe it to Sir Stamford Raf&es that we are relieved. Of the negociations with the Nether- lands' Government, mentioned by Earl Bathurst, we have heard nothing further. Are we then to permit the Netherlands' Government to over-run the native states on Sumatra ? This is a question that bears no analogy to the case of those native chieftains in the Eastern Archipe- lago, over whom the former Dutch Go- vernment may have exercised the prero- gatives of sovereignty. The Island of Sumatra is nearly as large as Great Britain and Ireland toge- ther. Are we to permit ourselves to be 94 Bhiit out from intercourse with such a country, in deference " to the only inde- " pendent power in that quarter of the " earth/' as Mr. Muntinghe styles the Netherlands' Government? If so, we had better give them up Bencoolen at once, as it will soon be construed as a feudatory possession of the sovereign lord of Su- matra, the King of the Netherlands. Lord Holland justly argued, on the occasion above alluded to, that ^^ if Lord ** Bnthurst meant to contend that it was ** just to deliver over to another power ** a sovereign with whom we had recently *^ made a treaty, such an assertion would ^' be in direct contradiction with the law ** of nations." His Lordship further* observed, * ' that it might perhaps be ^^ thought by the leading statesmen in " some other countries, that a great ad- " vantage was to be obtained by lower- '* ing the character and credit of Great ^^ Britain. It might suit their policy to /* say to nations in remote parts of the " globe, *You see what you gain by >* * entering into agreements with the '' ' English : I 95 ^^ /English : whatever stipulations they " * may make with you, they are certain ^^ ' to sacrifice you to their general sys- " * tem of policy, whenever they make * * * peace with their neighbours in Eu- '^ ' rope/ " This has been evidently the language of Mr. Muntinghe to the Sultaun of Pa-* lembang.* Our honour and our duty, therefore, are equally concerned with our interest, in insisting that the Palcmbang state shall retain its own laws, under its own inde- pendent government of the Sultaun and princes. We shall thereby maintain our faith and character, not only at Palem- bang but in all the states of Sumatra, and we shall prevent the too near con- tiguity to our possessions at Bencoolen, of an aspiring, insidious, and unscrupu- lous neighbour. We shall have nothing more than we always had: he will have nothing less. Our relative situations on Sumatra will be such as they have been established by the * Vide Letter to Sir Stamford Rafflei firom the SulUun. 96 the Convention of 1814. We ought not to submit to inferiority; and more espe- cially ought we to guard against those relations being disturbed, in a manner that will attach to us a dereliction of our reputation and our honour.* * A trontlation of the Deed of Cession of the Islands of Banca and Dilliton to Great Britain, in further coDfirmation of our rights and duties, will be found on reference to the Appendix. It is taken from the original deed ; and that no person may dispute its authenticity, a copy thereof is added in the Koman character, that those who possess m knowledge of the Malayan language may have Uieir own interpretation of iu contents. I. V N DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT or PALEMBANG. Thb kingdom of Palembang, which amongst the native states of Sumatra holds the first rank, occupies the portion of that island to the southward of the equator^ which is included between the latitudesof2^ and 4*^30'. It is bounded, on the north and east, by the Straits pf Banca; on the south, by the Lampoohg country; on tlic west and south-west, by the ranges of mountains which separate that state from Bcncoolcn and its dcpcn- • dencies ; and on the north-west, its limits adjoin the territories of the Sultaun of Jambee. The principal river, which is called the Moosee, upon which the town of Palem- H bang 98 bang is situated^ runs through the whole extent of the country in a general di- rcctiou from south-west to north-east, having its source in the range of hills near to Bcneoolcn. With this river all the others have confluence, and the ac- cumulated waters are disembogued into the Straits of Banca by four different mouths, which, under the names of the Sali, the Opan, the Soensang, and the Pontian, diverge from the main river at different points below the town of Pa- Icmbang. The Sali being the eastern, and tlie Pontian the western mouth, or kwala, so called by the natives. The Socnsang branch affords the most rpady and the safest navigable commu- nication to the town of Palembang, which, • by the winding course of the river, is about seventy miles distant from the sea. Monopin Hill, on the western extreme of Banca, bears nearly north- east from the Socnsang entrance, whence it is distant about eight leagues, and from which, excepting in thick hazy weather, it 99- it is clearly discernible. The village of . Soensang is near the mouth of the river, and is placed under the controul of a Demang, whose duty it is to send a re« port to the Sultaiin of Palembang of the arrival of every vessel of any consequence. From him pilots may be obtained to con- duct vessels or boats up to Palembang. The town of Palembang is only acces- sible on the north and eastern sides, by the medium of the rivers abovementioned ; the whole coast of Sumatra, along the Straits of Banca, presenting nothing to the eye but a low flat of interminable swamps and jungle. Very few villages intervene from Soensang to Palembang, the banks of the river on each side generally presenting the same forbidding ; aspect as the sea coast, so that a stranger, until the town of Palembang opens to his view, might suppose that he was tra- versing the river of an uninhabited country. From Palembang to the sea, by the Soensang branch, the river is navigablo 100 for vessels of t1\o largest . Imrthcu. In some parts it is narrow^ but generally of a noble breadth. About four milcsy bearing nearly due north from the mouth of the river, a bar must be erossed to enter the ehannel of deep water through which to navigate to the river, the chaimel on each side having shallow water. At the highest spring tides the bar has never more than three fathoms water upon it, so that the larger ships are obliged to anchor outside the bar. Vessels making for the Palembang river direct their course to the bar; and from the direction it is proper to cross it, in order to enter the channel for Soensang, the mouth of that branch of the river appears nearly closed by projecting land, the Pontian mouth at the same time ex- posing a wide and open view of that river ; the latter is therefore frequently mistaken for the navigable branch, and vessels committed to this stream have had their progress intercepted, and been necessi- tated to return. The Tho rivor through its wholo oxtout Is inuch hifcstcd with alligators, which are very daring and voracious. The pantjaU langdy or river passage boats, which are of various dimensions according to the rank of the owners, and which, being cut from the solid |;ruiik of a tree, are almost on a level with the surface of the water, expose the men who paddle them very much to the attacks of these monsters of the river. Some of the pantjallangs belonging to the Sultaun and his family are no less tlian forty-two feet in length and ten or twelve in the greatest breadth, requiring twenty-four men to paddle them, who are ranged on each side. The trees from which these boats are formed are cut in the forests near the mountains, whence they are brought to Palembang with consider- able labour. The Sultaun, who was very anxious at all times to manifest respect and kindness to the British Resident, always sent one of these boats to the mouth of the river to convey him up to Palembang when he came from Banca to H 3 visit 102 visit his Highness, and also to convey him back. I have seen, on two occasionsV alligators raise their heads out of the • water near the side of the boat, in the attempt to take one of the paddlers out of this large description of pantjallang. The boatmen, having plenty of room to move away, escaped tlieir grasp ; wliich was checked also by the heiglit of the side of tlie boat from the water, tliough in this large pantjallang the deck at the centre, upon which the paddlers sit cross- legged, did not exceed nine or ten inches above the surface of the water. From the smaller description of pantjallangs no less than seventeen paddlers were carried away by alligators during the time. I was at Palcmbang, Two gentlemen, coming up the river to visit me in one of the snmller boats, had provided themselves with a basket of provisions for their jour- ney. On their way an alligator raised himself from the water; the paddlers shrieked and fortunately escaped, but the basket of provisions became the prey to his voracity. These These pantjallangs^ which are peculiar to Palembangy are very commodious anil quick in their passage. That above-men* tioned, belonging to the Sultaun, had a space covered at the stem by a light cover- ing, made of matted nipali leaves, sufficient to shelter the steersman, to allow a recess for sleeping, and a space in front to ac- commodate eight or ten persons sitting with a table in the middle. The prow biduk is another kind of river boat, similar to the pantjallang boat, with its sides raised by additional planks. They are used for conveying baggage, and as a safer passage boat in stormy weather. The Sultaun has a state boat of this description, called the prow naga, which has a large carved head of the fabulous dragon called Naga. . The distinctions of rank are presei-ved in the equipment of these boats with as much care as the colour of the payung, which here, as in other Malayan states^ varies according to the several gradations from the Sultaun. H 4 The The town of Palcmbang is formed 'on both sides of the river Moosee, which is there about twelve hundred feet in breadth. Some of the houses are erected upon large rafts of timber^ anchored near the banks, and which rise and fall with the tide; behind these aire houses built upon piles of timber, and which at high water become insulated ; at the back of these again a third • row of houses are built on the land, along the banks, and on the sides of the several small streams which join the main river. The palace of the Sultaun is a magni-. ficent structure, built of brick, and sur- rounded by a strong wall. The houses of the principal chiefs are commodious and comfortable, though they have no preten- • sions to elegance. Many of these, as well as the houses of the wealthy Arabs and Chinese, have tiled roofs, supported by strong pillars of timber, and are divided into rooms by wooden divisions of plank. The houses of the inferior classes are built of the light materials which are used for habitations in other Malayan countries. Not 105 Not more than three or four houses have any communication one with another; excepting by boats; This does not pro^^ cced from a necessity arising out of thd nature of the country, so mucli as from the liabit and inclination of the people to have ready access to the conveniences of the river. The principal inhabitants, who have their houses generally built upon the banks of the river, have piers constructed to the distance of low water mark, in order that they may at all times command unin- terrupted communication with their boats: From one extreme to the other, the town may be estimated to extend at least three miles along each bank, and to con- tain a population of nearly twenty-five thousand souls, including about one thou- | sand Arabs and Chinese. • The foreign trade from the town is car- ried on by the Chinese, Arabs, and na- tives, to Java, Malacca, Banca, Pcnang or Prince of Wales' Island, Lingen, Rhio, and the eastern coast of Borneo. Two large junks from China, one from Among, the 106 other from Canton^ and a small one from Siam, arrive annually at Palcmbang with the N, W. monsoon in January^ and de- part with the S. £. monsoon in August. The principal imports consist of woollen cloths^ of. which every man who has the means is anxious to have a dress ; £ng« lish chintzes and coloured cottons, their choice of which is principally directed by the pattern ; Bengal and Madras piece goods ; copper, iron, and steel, with manu- factured articles of these metals ; teas, drugs, Chiim sillvs, nankeens, earthen- ware, salt, and Java cloths. The exports consist of Palcmbang pro- duce, in pepper, cotton, rattans, bees- Wax, dragons' blood, benzoin, gambir,. . elephants' teeth, gold dust, kayoo laker, and birds' nests in small quantities. Of the produce of Palcmbang, pepper, which is there called sahan, as also the com- mon name of ladah, may be computed at fifteen thousand pcculs annually, which was fonncrly sold at three dollars per pecul of one hundred and twenty-five Dutch pounds. Of d lU/ Of cotton there are two kindsi the common called kapas^ and the silk cottoni which is called kapok. The latter is only used for stuffing beds and pillows^ which purpose it answers exceedingly well, being very soft and elastic. The produce of cotton has been about four thousand peculs, sold raw from two to four dollars per pecul, and cleaned from eight to ten. Rattans, about one hundred thousand, of one hundred to each bundle. The first sort, three fathoms long, sells at seventeen dollars per bundle ; inferior at ten, twelve, and fourteen. Dragons' blood, called jaranang, and benzoin, called kaiiiinian, sell from four- teen to twenty-five and thirty dollars perpecul. Elephants' teeth, if two to a pecul, sell for eighty dollars ; if four, sixty dollars, and so on. Kayoo laker is exported in considerable quantities by the China junks. It is used by the Chinese for burning in their houses and temples. 108 Gold dust varies in price according to its quality. The inferior sort is called moodn or young, the most valuable being termed tooah or old. The former when melted into bars has a whitish dull cast ; the latter bearing a brilliant yellow ap- pearance. Tiie following list exhibits the several varieticH found at Palembang, and the prices of each quality. Name uf Place wlieucc brought. • • » • . . Leemon Tceko Ditto . • . • Kamarccng V Ditto .... f Jambco .. I Siok I Achccn • • J Pahan . . t • Sclako • • • • Laro < CO iv«.<.*t.^ Pf*** ^ *•*'» Sort, OfwhllSutf. ^^^^ per Tale of "**"* 2| Dullart wdsht. DollaiJ. PoIcmbaDg . . Old . . • . SO9 SI, and 32. Ditto Young • • 22) and 23. Ditto Old ....26 and 27* Ditto ...... Young • • 13 and 14. Old Old ....17 and IS. Jambco ••••Old ••••30,31, and St. Siak Old •• ..30, 31, and 32* Achccn ••••Old ••..30,31, and 32. Malacca .... Old • • . .30, 31, and 32. Sambnt Young • • 23 and 21. Diuo Old .•.•26and?7. The Sultaun receives a certain amount from every vessel or prow entering the port 109 port of Palembang^ according to its mea- surement. A large China junk pays about fifteen hundred dollars, a smaller one thousand dollars ; and the Siamese junks, which are not of greater burthen than eighty tons, pay about seventy-five dollara. The anchorage dues 'being paid, the cargo is free from all other imposition of duties. Of all the Malayan ports, Palcmbang has been and is considered, by all native and European foreigners, the safest and^ best regulated. Once entering the river,; the smallest prow, with ordinary vigilance and precaution, will be secure from vio* lence or plunder. Outside the river, small pirate prow:s will sometimes lay concealed in the creeks and under shelter of the jungle along the coast, and will prey upon the small trading prows entering the river, but such occurrences are not common, and are guarded against by every means in the Sultaun's power. The control of the port is placed under the authority of a native chief : he is ap- no pointed by the Sultaimy and his office is called the Shabundara. All disputes aris- ing among the crews of vessels^ or on questions regarding trade^ are adjusted by the Sluvbundar^ assisted in cases of im- portance l)y other chiefs, who are deputed for the purpose by the Sultaim. Their decision, whicli is regulated by the appli- cation of acknowledged rules and customs . of trade to the particular points in dispute, is duly submitted by the Shabundar to the Sultaim, witli whom it rests to confirm their adjiulieation or to direct a further consideration of the question. The jurisdiction of the town is admi- nistered by one of the chief Pangerangs, who, by virtue of his ofliee, is called the Patch. All the duties of a judge and ma- gistrate devolve upon him, in the per- formance of which he is assisted by a tu- munggimg, who holds an inferior and sub- ordinate jurisdiction. In judicial matters the decisions of the Patch are regulated by the common law or adut of the country, and, in cases of magnitude or difficulty, ^ the Ill the Sultaun deputes other chiefs to assist in the investigation* Before the Pateh orders the execution of any sentence or de-^ cree^ he submits the case to the Sultaun, and receives his orders in confirmatipn or otlierwise. Disputes between tlie Clii- nese are conunonly referred to the Captain China, or chief of tlie Chinese, for settle- ment, according to their customs ; and in like manner, the chief of the Arabs exer- cises authority over the Arab inhabitants. Matters which concern the estate and effects of deceased persons, with all other suits of an ecclesiastical nature, are ad- judged by the Pangeraiig, Penghooloo, or Cazee, who is guided hi his judgment by the laws and precepts provided in the Koran. Controversies frcciucntly arise upon the question, whether litigated points should be adjusted by the adut or common law of the country, or by the Koran; the one party finding the strength of his cause to be favoured by the applicatipn of one rule, and the other party, viewing his interests 112 to be best protected by the other mode of adjudication. In these eases the party who can command an influence with the Sultaun^ either personally or by the inter* vention of his confidential advisers, will probably obtain the sanction of that law which is best suited to his purpose. The usual punishments for offences are fines and imprisonment for short periods. Murder is commutable by fine ; but in the case of a servant who killed his master, the culprit was punished by death, inflicted by the stabs of kreeses. A chief giving offence to the Sultaun, or in his presence making use of any pro- voking language or gesture to another chief, must sooii aflcr send his kris to the Sultaun, in token of his submission, or he will endanger the sequestration of his pro- perty and banishment to the upper coun- try, the usual punishment of the chiefs for contumacy or disaffection, which in ex- treme cases are punished with death. Palembang is the only large town in the territories of the Sultaun which may be said 113 iaid to centre within itself all the rank and wealth of the state. Tlie chiefs^ who hold by grant from the Sultaun the seignorial property and authority in the provinces and villages^ only visit their Ddsas, as they call them, on occasions connected with the pursuit of tradc^ or other objects of personal interest. Tiie greater part of their time is spent in the capital, where they are attended by a stipulated number of their vassals, who receive no pay or food from their chiefs during their ap- pointed time of service. The number of men each village is required to provide for the service of its chief is rcguhirly record- ed in the books of the country, together with the proportion of tribute the inhabi- tants have to provide from the produce of the land in their occupation. Of the several rariks> the first in dignity will of course include the sons and bro- thers of the Sultaun. His eldest son has properly the title of the Pangerang Ratoo, but the Sultaun Najm al Deen gave to his eldest son that of Prabo Anam, of equal 114 t • dignity^ in consequence of the eldest son of the £x-Sultaun having received that of the Pangerang Ratoo. The Pangerangs are generally allied by blood) some nearly and others more re- motely, to the royal family. They take precedence according to the designation aflixcd to their title. Thus the Pangerang Cliitra Kasooma was elevated, in reward of his services, to the superior rank of Pangerang Wiro de Radjo. The sons of Pangerangs have the title of Radeens by birth. The chiefs below the ranks of Pangerang and Radcen come under the general deno- mination of Mantries, and rank according to their titles in the following order : Tu- munggung, Ranga, Deniang, Angbhey. These are taken indiscriminately from all classes of the inhabitants, and are ad- vanccd to their titles at the pleasure of the Sultaun, and according to the degree of their merits and services in his apprehen- sion. Chinese, Arabs, Malayese, and every description of persons, are found in this 115 this classy tbe only essential requisite to ' the attainment of the rank of Mantrie being the profession of the Mahommedan faith. In the provinces, tlie head men of the villages are generally selected by tlie in- habitants themselves, and their choice confirmed by the Sultaun. Tiiey have their customary titles of Dupattie, Lura, Pro-attin. The districts and provinces which con- stitute the dominions of the Sultaun of Palembang derive their names from the principal rivers which flow through them, on the banks and tributary streams of which all the villages are situated. The most valuable of these provinces is proba- bly that at the head of the river Moosee, called the Anak M oosee, so named from its embracing several streams which have confluence with the main river ; the detail of the account of this province from the Palembang books * will best explain its I 2 importance * Vide Appendix, No. III. importance to the Sultaun, Trho derives from it a valuable revenue. The general produce oF this province consists in rice, pepper, cotton, wax, gambir, and gold dust. The word soongee signifies river, and is prefixed to the nnme of it. The number of men signifies the agreed proportion to be provided for the per- formnncc of feudal services: The province of Moosee, which com- prises the Poosuns, situated on the main river, produces rice, cotton, wax, and pepper.* The province of Lamatang is so called from a large river of that name, which has its source to the eastward of that of the Moosee, which river it joins about eighty miles above the town of Palem- bang. It produces pepper, cotton, and rice, and its details, according to the Pa-^ lembang books, will be found in Ap- pendix, No. V. The ^ Vido Appondix» No. IV. iji 117 The river Ogan, which also joins the Moosee, about two miles above the town of Palerabang, has its source in the Lam- poong country. The particulars of this province, from the Palcmbang books, are as in Appendix, No.VI. The district of Renibang Ogan has its name from the river Renibang, which joins the Ogan before it reaches the Moo- see. The Siiltaun is supplied with rattan mats for his palace from this district, the particulars of which are delivered in Ap- pendix, No.VI I. The Bclida river, which gives name to a small district of that name, held in fee by its chief under the Sultaun of Palcm- bang, commuiiicates with the river Ogan by means of a cut. The Bclida joins the Mooace a few miles below the junction of Lamatang. The Banyo Assocn river em- braces that province, which lies in the vichiity of the Pontian mouth of the river, and whicli is recorded in the Palembang books. Vide Appendix, No.VIII. 118 The Kamareeng is a large river which runs to the eastward of the Ogaiii with which river it has a cut of communication. This river has its source in the Lampoong district, and is said to flow witliin twenty . miles of the Tulang Bawung, the principal river in that countr)\ Tlie province com- prised within tlie course of tlie Kamareeng is recorded in tlic Palcmbang books, but the inhabitants do not appear to have been brought under perfect subjection to the aiithority of the Sultaun of Palcmbang, to whom tlicy luive not of late years rendered any tribute. Tliis province may be con- sidered to embrace tlie tract of country between the Ogan and the sea-coast of the Straits of Jhuica. Its population is com- . posed of a mixture of various tribes of Javanese, Buggis, and others. An account of this province, taken from the Palcmbang records, forms Appendix, No. IX. There is a description of wild people in the Ulterior of the Palcmbang dominions who refuse all intercourse, and who are called 4 119 _ _ _ _ ^ called Orang-Kubu. They are consider- ed a very harmless and inofTensive peoplCi and with them a trade is contrived to be carried on in the following manner. Cloths, tobacco, and other articles, of which they have need, are placed at cer- tain spots near where they are known to live, and the owner of the goods, as a signal to them, beats a gong when he re- tires from the place. These people then come and take away the goods, leaving a very full equivalent in honey, wax, and other articles they collect in their wild re- treats. The Sultaun enjoys, throughout all the provinces of his dominions, the exclusive monopoly of the trade in pepper. In payment of this produce he delivers to the cultivators cloths at fixed prices, which, perhaps, will allow to the Sultaun a profit of fifty per cent, on the original cost to him of these articles. Tliis is a privilege established by long custom, and which, coming under the de- nomination of Tiban andToocan, awakens I 4 so 80 mucli of the sympathy of Mr. Mun- tinglic. The Sultaun being the acknowledged lord of the land, confers grants of the se- veral villages to the Pangerangs and M an<- tries, in value apportioned to the favour Jn which they are respectively held by him. The assessment of each village is duly recorded, stating the quantity of produce agreed by the occupants of hind to bo provided to the chief, and the number of matnguwies, or men to be furnished for rowing his boat, and other duties re(piired by him to be performed. This is the system of forced labours and deliveries which has further called forth the in- dignation of Mr. Muntinghe, and, as he • may wish it to be thought, the humane interposition of the Netherlands* Govern- ment of Java : and this is the very identi- cal system pursued in their o^\^l settle* ments of An\boyna. Not only so, but in order to increase the value of their o^vn forced cultivation and deliveries, they destroy the natural productions of tho neighbouring ■M neighbouring islandsi and deprive their' inhabitants of the gifts which nature has bestowed, because those gifts come in competition with their own interest, and if allowed to be enjoyed would, by in- crcashig supply, depreciate the value of their trade. Whatever may be the objections to this system, it is very evident tluit the contri* butious to the Sultaun and the chiefs are in fact payments of rout for tlio landt These rights of the Sultaun and the chiefSi founded on ancioiit custom aud agrooment with the occupants of the land annexed to the villages, ought to be held sacred, as constituting their property. Whether it be good or whether it be bad, the Dutch Government had no right whatever to interfere with the property of the chiefs, nor with the laws and govern*' ment of the countiy. To send a messen- ger through the country, proclaiming the ipse (Ihif of their Ambassador to tlie Pa- lembang state, and introducing, or en- deavouring to introduce anarchy and dis* trust, by announcing to the people that they were no longer to pay theur rents, nor to perform any of the ancient duties of their allegiance, was a barbarous and ma-* lignant outrage upon the feelings and in- terests of the Sultaun, the chiefs, and even the people themselves. It has deservedly produced an unanimous and determined resistance, which I trust may be eventually successful. Had it been the real object of the Netherlands* Government to ameliorate the condition of the people, and to ani- mate them to the improvement of the ad- vantages they enjoyed in a fertile soil in- tersected by fine rivers, they would have employed time, conciliation, and persua- • sion, to impress the Sultaun and the chiefs with the belief of advantage to themselves and benefit to the people, to be expected from a more perfect system of laws and administration. But their interest was too clearly, as I have already stated it, to usurp the country; and to prevent all op- position to such insidious design, by ex- citing <-"i citing tlie people against tlie chiefs, and the chiefs who supported one Sultaun against the chiefs who supported the other. Of the general population of the coun« try under the authority of the Sultaun of Palembang I can form no correct esti« mate. From the record of the number of men registered for feudal services, a rough computation would suggest the possibility of 75,000 scattered over the provinces, and 25,000 for the town of Palembang, making a total population of 100,000 souls. The produce of the interior is brought to Palembang on large rafts of bam- boos, upon which small houses are con- structed of the same materials, covered in with nipah leaves. Thus completed these rafts are called rackets, and the people who have charge of conveyance of the stores have no further trouble in the navigation of the river, than to keep the racket in the middle of the stream. Of positive slavery there is less, per- haps, than in most of the Malayan coun« 124 trieSy or ieven those whicli constitute the present Dutch possessions. Individuals who borrow money for the purpose of relieving themselves and fami- lies from urgent distress, owe service and fidelity to their creditors until the debt is discharged. They cannot quit their mas- ters excepting they find another master willing to advance the amount of their debt, when their services revert to their new creditor. The debt is not only bind- ing on the individual, but on his wife and children ; but they cannot be sold, or made property of as slaves. This law has given another occasion for Mr. Muntinghe to make a display of his tenderness and phi- lanthropy towards the Palcmbang people. . No consideration of the rights of indi- viduals, or regard for the independence of the state, were permitted to interrupt the accomplishment of Mr. Muntinghe's inter- pretation of relief to suffering humanity : his messenger is therefore charged to pro- claim, through a country where he had no authority, or any other title than the supe- rior 125 rior strength of his government^ the abo^ lition of this abominable custom^ as he calls it I do not mean to advocate the morality, or justice of such a custom^ but I do assert, that in such cases a worse evil must accrue to society, from the principle of employ- ing violence and fraud in the contempla- tion of beneficial results, than any evil from Imperfection of laws. However odious such a custom may appear, we may perhaps trace some good effects to arise from it. In Palembang we see no houseless or starving poor, none " pining in want or in a dungeon's ^^ gloom, shut from the common air and ** common use of their own limbs." Of the revenues of the Sultaun of Palem- bang it would be difiicult to form a mo« nied estimate, as they consist of contribu- tions in kind from the provinces, port duties, and feudal dues and services, which embrace a variety of contingencies. On occasions of the marriage of the Sul- taun's sons all the principal inhabitants 126 « are required to erect a flagstaflfi and on the day of ceremony to hoist a flag. This is a custom observed on any grand occa* sion of joy to the royal family. On the occasion of marriage the parties are weighed, when the chiefs are expected to contribute a proportion of silver money. The island of Banca was the most pro- fitable source of monied revenue, from whicli, some years ago, the Sultaun may be computed to have derived 150,000 dol- lars annually, by the sale of tin on terms of his contract with the Dutch East India Company. Of that possession I proceed to give a separate account. 1 "J DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT •r BANCA. .' • . > Thb island of Banca is situated to the southward of the equator, between the latitudes of T SOT, and 3° 8^ Its wes- tern extreme being in the longitude of 105^ 0^9 and the easternmost point in lOG^ JjV cast of Greenwich ; measuring in its greatest length, from N,W. to S.E. one hundred and thirty-five miles, and in its broadest part sixty- eight miles The direction of the island is, generally speaking, parallel to the Sumatran coast, from N.W. to S.E., with which it forms the Straits of Banca. There is no conti- nued chain of mountainous land, but lofty hills in shoit ranges are interspersed through every part. The highest mouur tain 128 tain on the island^ Goonoong Maras^ rests on its base, unconnected with any other hill, its summit being marked by two dis- tinct cones, one of which is a little more elevated than the other. The highest point may be estimated at three thousand feet above the level of the sea, from which this mountain begins to rise, about two miles from the bottom of Klabat Bay. It is dis- tinctly viHible on the coasts of the island to the north, east, and west, and for a consi- derable distance down the Straits ofBanca. Monopin Hill, called by the natives Goonoong Manmnbling, is situated on the western extreme land of Banca, and to Europeans, as well as natives, is a princi- pal landmark in navigation. For this^ from its position on projecting land, without any interposition of adjoining or circumjacent hills, it is better adapted than Goonoong Maras, although much inferior in heiglit and magnitude. This hill has been found by measurement to be fifteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. Tunjong 129 , «v Tunjong Tuen and Tanjong RiaH^ on' the east coast, are also distinct and supe^ riof hills, of a parallel elevation, as I should judge, to Monopin HilL Another lofty hill, rising above a short range of hills, in the latitude of Tunjong Brekat, is distinctly visible at sea, off that point/ Its height must exceed that of Monopin Hill, as it seems to subtend an equal angle at certainly a greater distance. Many of the hills on Banca have coni- cal summits, but there is not the smallest trace of volcanic eruption in any part of the island. On the morning of the llth of April 1815, a constant succession of sounds was heard at Minto, like reports of distant can- non. Thinking it possible they might be signals of distress from a ship in the Straits, the Government vessels then in the Roads were directed to proceed down the Straits in the direction whence the re- ports appeared to come. Captain O'Brien, in his Majesty's frigate Doris, got under weigh at the same time. % % 130 It b remarkable that the reports were not heard by any person on board the fri- gate or vessels in the Roads^ nor at any time whilst they were at sea. A Swedish ship arrived from the southward the next dayi from which no tidings could be ob- tained in explanation^ as no person on board had heard or seen any thing extra- ordinary on their passage up the Straits. Expresses were received from the in- spectors of every district^ conveying their apprehensions of attack from pirates, each observing that heavy firing of cannon had been heard, which they supposed to be near. It struck me that one of the hills in Banca must have exploded, but the sounds were afterwards proved to have proceeded from the explosion of a hill on the island of Sumbawa, to the eastward of Java, a distance not less than seven hun- dred miles, and still farther from Palem- bang, over which country also the somids were distinctly heard. The >v4iole island of Banea is abundantly supplied with tvater, of the best quality. The 131 if The principal rivers are those of Jeboos * and Jeering on the west coast; those of Antun and Layang in Klabat Bay/ and the Marawang river on the east coast. These may be called rivers of the first clasi^. Those of the second description are the rivers of Kota-bringin^ Mindo, Banca Co- ta, Salan^ on the west. Mapoor, Coba Carraow, and Kuppo, on the east coast, with many others of inferior consideration. None of these rivers will admit vessels of great burthen, as banks of sand run off ^all their entrances. The villages are all situated some miles up the rivers, so that in sailing along the coast of Banca there is no appearance of habitation. The island has, however, a pleasing aspect in sailing up the Straits, as the high lands of the Banca shore come in * near and favourable contrast with the un- varying flatness of the Sumatran coast. Rains are frequent on the island of Banca, except in the months of May, June, July, and August. These compose the season when the S. £• monsoon wind K 2 blows »^ blows with the greatest strength and conti- nuance, and are the hottest and driest months. The most continued rains prevail during the months of November, December, January, and February, the season of the N.W. monsoon. Calms and squalls are frequent during the intervals between one monsoon and the other, which unsettled periods of wind are distinguished by the natives as the season of the Pencharobo. These intervals may be included be- tween the 15th of March, when the N.W,^ monsoon begins to subside, and the 15th of May, when the S. E. may be expected to set in strong ; and again, between the 15th of September and the 15th of No- vember wlien the N.W. monsoon gene- rally begins to blow fresh. Between these periods, vessels may be expected to navi- gate, with equal success, up or down the Straits. At tlicse tunes, also, the pirates take the opportunity of emerging from their haunts about Lingen, the island of Billiton, and the west coast of Borneo, to prey prey upon Bmall prows with which they fall in during calms and light whids. By the ravages of these people, Banca has had its population deplorably reduced; yet, during the English possession of the ' island, only one or two trivial instances occurred of their venturing upon the shore. Tluinder and lightning are frequent, and the explosions very often extremely vio- lent. Lightning may be said to be ob- servable half the evenings of the year, and very frequently in vivid flashes of forked lightnhig. His Majesty's frigate Resist- ance, lost in the Straits of Banca some years ago, was supposed to have ^ been blown up by an instantaneous explosion of the magazine, occasioned by lightning. The climate of Banca is generally healthy throughout the island, but par- ticular situations will form exceptions to this observation. In the interior the nights are cool, but in the dry weather the action of the sun upon a gravelly soil makes the heat very oppressive during the day. The thenno- K 3 meter 134 * meter varies from 78^ to 84^, never ex- ceeding 88^ in the shade. The woods afford a variety of fine tim« ber^ of which the Mengarawang is used * for masts and yards of vessels. This tim- ber is found of superior quality at Falem- '^ bang. The Pitallee is considered little inferior to Teak, and with the Sakor and M adang arc employed for building. Ka- yoo-bcsscc, or the iron wood, so called from its extreme hardness, which spoils the carpenter's tools in working it, is likewise found on the island. Kayoo Arang, or ebony, is abundant ^^ about the forest of Layang and the north coast. Considerable quantities are cut and sent to Falcmbang for sale to th6 China junks. A wood called Bailer is found in the forest of the north coast, of which tables are made, behig broad in the plank, fine in the gi*ain, and of a good colour. A large tree, which grows perfectly erect, and which from its height and size would seem calculated for the mainmast of the largest *;» 135 ^ largest ship, rots internally and falls to tlie ground. It is called the Dammer tree, and is frequently seen lying on the ground when passing through the forests. Lignum aloes, called by the natives Kayoo Garoo or Kalambek, is also found on Banca, and sent to Palcmbang for sale ^' to the China junks. Trcpangs, or the sea-slugs, and Agar Agar, are picked up in Klabat Bay, and along the islands and shoals bordering the eastern coast of Banca. Tliese islands, during the calm months preceding the S. E. monsoon, are frequented by numerous prows from Lingen and Billiton, 'ij^ for the purpose of collecting these articles, wliich have a ready sale to the China junks. The natives of Banca on the eastern coast, as on other parts, had suf- fered so much from the piracies committed by these people, that their presence never failed to excite considerable alarm. Dammer, honey, wax, and mats, are also articles of trade . from the southern part of the island of Banca. K 4 Tlie 136 The Sultaun of Palembang used to be supplied formerly with iron from a large village in the southern part of the island, called Fako, which, about twenty-fiveyears since, was depopulated by the pirates, who carried off the inhabitants. The importa- * tion of thirty tons of English and Swedish iron annually, has superseded the necessity of working the ore in this neighbourhood. With the exception of deer and wild hogs, of which there are very few, no animals arc found on Banca. Tigers, which are common at Palembang, and . which there frequently visit the skirts of t the town, are here unknown. Insects abound, and also snakes, of which some, of a small kind, are venomous. Those of very large size, which are numerous, are cut open by the Chinese, and the gall taken out, which they use as a medicine. Horses from Java, and buffaloes^ were found to thrive very well. The flesh of buffaloes is scarcely inferior to that of , oxen, and there would have been little difliculty in rearing a sufficient stock to ♦ ^ J 137 to supply the occasional demand of the China ships from England. Ducks, fowls, fish, and pork, were the only descriptions of animal food procurable on the island. Fish and pork were tolerably abundant and good, but at Minto we were indebted to impor- tations from Palciubang for a sufficient supply of ducks and fowls, cocoa-nuts, and fruits of all kinds, of the best quality. ThQ natives, who are called Orang Goonoongs, cultivate in the interior small quantities of rice on spots cleared of wood, which being burnt, affords the only assistance to the soil which they can command. The quantity of rice they cultivate is barely sufficient for their owii consumption. That the island is so little productive of the essentials of life is not to be attri- buted to the poverty of the soil, so much as to the employment of an inadequate population in more profitable labours than their production, to which the in- habitants 138 habitiants are not impelled by necessity, as their wants are amply supplied by importation. Tlie town of Mintok, as it was called previous to the English establishment on the islandy was originally peopled from Lingen and the islands adjacent, who resorted thither for the purpose of trade, and the more ready means of pursuing their principal object of smug- gling tin from Banca. The population of Mintok, when we took possession of the island, was confined to a few principal families, and an inferior class, occupied occasionally in fishing, and at other times in carrying on the trade and smuggling transactions of theur su-^ ' periors. The name of the town was changed to Minto, Ml compliment, as I have else- where observed, to that reyered noble- man, whose administration of the British Empire in India was rendered memorable by the important acquisition of all the Eastern Colonies. >^ ^ 139 The town of Minto is situated about three miles to the east of Tanjong Kaleang^ having a small river, which takes its rise from Monopia Hill. The ground rises immediately at the back of the town, and partakes of the general character of the soil of Banca, which is loose and gravelly. The country bctwen Minto and Monopin Hill is elevated and craggy, intersected by deep ravines, which are more pleasing to the eye than favourable to the ready construction of roads. It is co-' vered with brushwood, Lalang, or coarse high grass, black rocks, and occasional trees. Tlie water here, as in every part of Banca, is particularly clear and good. The establishment of the Residenoy and troops is fixed about a quarter of a mile from the town, on a clear ele* vated spot, where a fine view is obtained of the Straits of Banca, and the Sumatrau shore. The establishments of the store- keeper and master- attendant are formed upon the beach, where storchouses are erected for ready receipt and delivery of stores A'om and to the shipping. Op- posite to the Resident's house^ upon the cliff) a battery is made^ from whence salutes are fired. Tliere is no ground well adapted for the erection of a fort near the town, which will not be com- manded by the higher grounds in the vicinity. It was originally attempted to esta- blish the Residency at Tanjong Kaleang, the western point of Banca; that site is exceedingly picturesque, and, but for the . extreme insalubrity of the spot, would in every respect have been admirably adapted for the situation of a fort, and eveiy other public purpose of Government. ^ A ship can tliere anchor within a quarter of a mile from the shore, and by selecting for anchorage ground either the west or the south side of the point, would find good shelter from the storms of either the S. E. or N. W. monsoon. Forming a projection towards Sumatra, its situation afforded a commanding view of the mouth of the Palcmbang river, and over a wide i* 141 extent of navigation, both up and down # the Straits; this^ under the circuinstaiicea of an habitual system of smugglings that existed previous to our possession, be^ came particularly desirable for the pro* tection of the public interests. With such a delightful spot as this ' certainly is, open to the sea to the north, south, and west, and possessing such advantages of facilitating the public busi- ness, by ready communication with shipping, the suggestions of the natives that the place was haunted by the demon of ill-health were disregarded, and viewed to proceed from an evil design to divert us from fixing the establishment on a . point which gave such efficient control over the surrounding navigation. > A fort was therefore planned j tempo- rary edifices were erected for the Re- sident, the officers of the establishment, . the troops, and the stores ; in the progress of which many fell sick, and difficulties were observed in procuring labourers to carry on the works, but these were con- « sldcred obstacles usually incident to a first establishment, and the diffidence of an ignorant people towards the novel au- thority of Europeans, Perseverance, however, was not ob- served to lesson the calamities of sickness. The deaths of six officers, with the ne- cessity of removing almost the whole of the gentlemen composing the infant esta- blishment, who, labouring under severe paroxyms of fever, proceeded to Malacca, Java, or Palembang, according to the exigency of theu: several cases and the opportunities presented for a change, to- gether with the alarming casualties amongst the troops and artisans, afford- ed but too fatal and indisputable con- * viction of the imprudence and imprac- ticability of further attempting a per- manent establishment on this inviting and too tempting spot.* A spot * The melancholy and appalling mortality which at- tended the original lettlement upon Bancay wbuldyitmay b6 luppoiedi give a general impression unfaTorable to the 143 A spot between Rangam and Beloe, not far from Minto, was then selected. Here the sick were removed from the point to temporary shelter, and the benefits they derived from the change was immediately apparent. This spot was, however, veiy inconvenient for shipping ; and at lengthy about thirteen months after taking pos« session of tlie island, Minto itself was fixed upon as the scat of the Residency. Tliat the character of the whole island. Reports Trom the Resident to the Government of Java, for several successive monthly were replete with distressFng accounts of the eiTecta of the raging fever upon officers and men. The Government of Java, therefore^ at one time con« templated the possible necessity of abandoning tho attempt of establisliing an English settlement on the island. In lieu thereof, it was proposed to extend the establishment at Palcmbang, leaving the mines to be worked under tho administration of the Sultaun of Palcmbang ai here* tofore, but without prejudice to our sovereign right of possession. The agitation of this question will account for the suggestion of the resident to the Sultaun Najm-al-Deen^ as before noticedi that in the event of his resignation in favour of his deposed brother Badr-al«Deen, the Bnnca contract might probably be granted to him by the Java government in remuneration. * 144 That spot has since continued to give ftiU evidence of its salubrityi not one oQicer having died, and only the ordinary pro- portion of men; nor has any instance oc- curred of unusual sickness. The population of the town has since greatly increased, and was daily increasing when the transfer took place to the Ne- therlands* Government. A census was taken in the year 1813, eighteen months after the cession, when the inhabitants of Minto were found to be composed as follow : Chinese 86 men. Do /.' 13 women. Do- 8 children. Malaycse 382 men* Do 332 women. Do 606 children. Slaves 43 men. Do 92 women. Do 36 children. Total 1,498 Towards i 145 Towards the latter end of the year 1815 another census wastaken, when the po- pulation of the town was exhibited as follows: Chinese 242 men. Do 22 women. Do 2 children. Malayese 499 men. Do 514 women. Do 550 children. Slaves 27 men. Do 72 women. Do 27 children. * Total. . .1,955 No individual employed under Govern- ment is included herein ; and this is cer- tainly the lowest computation, as the ' people have much unwillingness to deliver the account of their household. This remark is more particularly applicable to the native population of the island. Under the government of the Sultaiui of Palem- bang) the natives of the interior, or Orang L GoonoongSy Goonoongs^ were required to perform the ^ Bervices of carrying tin^ and other duties, proportionate to their numbers. Although under our administration they were re- gularly fed and paid whenever their ser- vices were required upon public works, the native heads were anxious to have as few of the people as possible withdrawn upon such duties, and were therefore in- terested in making their retmns of the inhabitants of their Campoongs as limited as possible. In order to guard against any infraction of the act of parliament for the abolition of the slave trade, and to prevent any unjust pretensions upon individuals, the inhabitants were required, early in the year 1814, to register the slaves they possessed. For that purpose, they were directed to bring such slaves personally before the Resident, in order to obtain their own confession, or proof from the master in opposition to denial of their . condition as slaves in property. In the register was recorded a description of each each individual, as to sex, age, country^ and complexion, and an extract therefrom, in the form of a certificate, was granted to the master for each individual slave. In case of the death of a slave, or transfer to a new master, the proprietor was required under a penalty to deliver up to the Resident the certificate of such slave's register, and on a transfer a new certificate was granted to the new master. In case of death, the certificate was des* troyed and the name struck out of the register. The masters were also required to report thehirth of every child horn of a slave wo- man, for whom, at the age of six months, a certificate was granted and a register taken. But it was prohibited to sell such slaves during youth separate from their mother, unless with her consent. A female slave being given by her master to a free man in marriage became free, and the children of such marriage were also free. Every master was further required to give due maintenance to his L 2 slaves '.': i;- 148 slaves who had grown old and infiruii All persons settling at Mmto were re- quired to register the slaves they brought with them. This record having been taken, all the inhabitants of the island of Banca, ex- cepting the registered slaves, were declared to be free subjects of the English Govern- ment, and as such incapable, even by their own act, of selling or pawning the freedom of themselves or children. At the same time a register was taken of the houses, and lands annexed, belong*- ing to each inhabitant of the town of Minto, and a certificate thereof granted to the proprietor. This measure was a precaution against the litigation of house-* property, as well as to prevent any clan- destine occupation or appropriation of the land adjoining the town. Minto, from the original establishment of the residency there, had been made the emporium of all the trade from foreign places to the island of Banca, and no vessel was allowed to visit the outports, excepting I d 149 excepting under a pass from the Resident at Minto. Tliis regulation was framed, on a just view of expediency, to guard against the smuggling of tin, which could not otherwise have been effectually coun- teracted. The imports at Minto for the year 1815 were valued by the records of that year at four hundred and fifty thousand rupees: of which amount three hundred thousand would be for provisions of rice, salt, oil, tobacco, teas, sugar, &c, &c.; ninety thousand would be the average for Bengal and Madras cloths, English woollens and cottons, Jiiva cloths and handkerchiefs ; and sixty thousand for other articles of merchandize. The importations by Government in- cluded in the above would amount to about three hundred and twenty thou- sand rupees, and those of individuals to one hundred and thirty thousand. The chief article of import is rice, of which forty thousand peculs were required an- 160 . Of the exports for this year^ the thi was the only article on account of Go* vemment. The exports of individuals would not, by the records, appear to have exceeded forty thousand rupees. Ilavhig given an account of the principal town on the island, the admhiistration of the districts, and the tin mines, will next conic under review. Under the administration of the Sul- taun of Palembang, his authority and in« tercsts at the several mine districts were confided to seven principal natives of Palembang, to whom, under the denomi- nation of Tekos, the Sultaun advanced the necessary supplies of money to carry on the business of the mines. The stations of these Tekos and the districts annexed to each, were Jeboos and Klabat on the N. W. part of the island, Blinyoe on the east side of Klnbat Bay, Soongy-Leat, Mara- wang, and Pankal Pinang on the eastern coast, and Toobooallie to the southward. The Tekos were descendants of the pro- geny of a Chinese father and of a Malayan woman. 161 womani who followed the Mahommedan fiuth, and who preserved a knowledge of the Chinese language in addition to that of the Malayese. On this account^ as well as for aptitude in business and acutencss, they were selected to conduct the mine districts, which were worked by Chinese miners. Tlicse chiefs resided principally at Palembang, from whence they supplied the miners under their re- spective controul with every article of provisions and merchandize required for their comfort and subsistence. It may be here remarked, that, by the cession of the Island of Banca, a considerable diminu-^ tion of the trade from Palembang ensuedi as Banca became supplied direct from Java, and by vessels navigating to and from the westward. Tlie Tekos only visited their districts occasionally, for the purpose of adjusting their accounts with the miners, and ar^ ranging with their subordinate agents, or Congsees, as they were called, the works to be carried on during their absence. L 4 These 152 These Congsees superintended the mines, and kept the accounts of the miners in be- half of the Tclco, from whom tlioy received a stated sahiry. The Sultaun advanced from five to ten thousand dollars to each of the Tekos, ac- cording to the importance of their charge, and contracted with them for the delivery of all the tin, at eight dollars per pecul of one hundred and fifty catties, or two hun- dred and ten English pounds. Furnaces were erected, and all expenses of the mine apparatus, as well as clearing the jungle and other labours preparatory to excavating the mine, were defrayed by the Teko, M'ho afterwards paid the miners the regulated price of about six dollars for each pecul of one hundred and sixty catties delivered by them. Two- thirds of this payment were made in provisions and merchandize received by the miners dur- ing the progress of their labour, and the remaining third in tin coin called petis, which every Teko had the privilege of adopting for the circulation of his district, . and 153 and which beyond the limits of that dis- trict had no currency. A Demang, one of the native chiefs of Palcmbang, was vested with authority over the Orang GooiioongSi or natives of the interior, tlie authority of the Tekos being confined to the Chinese miners. His station was fixed at Kotabringgen, whence lie was directed to watch the con- duct of the Congsees, and to prevent any smuggling of tin to the Sultaun's preju- dice. The native chief of the Orang Laots, or people whose occupation is fishing and in boats, was chargctl to protect the coasts from smuggling prows. His charge extended from the Jeboos river, where his campoong lay, round the northern and easteiTi coast, as far as the Marawang river. This chief, however, frequently found the temptations to promote his own gain too powerful in the contest with his sense of duty. Tlie miners, who had intercourse with the smugglers, would contrive to bribe him not to see them ; but if they did ' i 154 come under his observation, he was faith* fill to his trust and endeavoured to inter* cept them : without a previous settlement of liis bribe there was no security for them against his vigilance. The people under his controul being constantly employed about Klabat Bay and the adjacent coasts, soon perceived any suspicious prows, and quickly conveyed information of their ap- pearance to the chief, who became pas* sive or active as suited tlie occasion. Besides tlie tin collected by the Tekos from the Chinese miners of their districts, a large quantity of tin was collected by the Orang Goonoongs, who delivered their produce to the Sultaun at the rate of three dollars per pecul of one hundred* catties. Previous to the emigration of many of the Bancancse, arid the capture of a still greater number by the pirates, who invaded the coasts of this island about twenty- five years ago, the Sultaun is said to have received from the labours of the Orang Goonoongs fifteen thousand peculs an- nually, 155 nually, which, with alike quantity from the mines worked by Chinese, yielded a total of thirty thousand peculs. The cost of the whole to the Sultaun would not ex* ceed one hundred and twenty-five thou* sand dollars, viz. forty-five thousand dol- lars in payment of the Orang Goonoongs, which payment was composed chiefly of cloths, upon whicli the Sultaun had his profit, and eighty thousand dollars in payment to the Tekos at the rates above mentioned. By contract with the Dutch East-India Company, the Sultaun would receive for the above quantity of tin three hundred thousand dollars, from which deducting the cost to him, there woi^J remain a net revenue of one hun- dred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The following account was delivered to me of the depopulation of the island of Bahca. About twenty-five years ago, a native chief of Palcmbang had committed some flagrant act, which the father of the present Sultaun was determined to punish with ex- treme severity. This chief, named Radeen Jaiiier, to escape the Sultaun's vengeance, fled to Lingcn, and the greater number of the principal inhabitants of Minto, who were concerned with him in his crime or interested in his fate, took flight also, with their dependents.. The Bancanese along the coasts to the southward of Minto, which was then the most populous part of the island, instigated by the people of Minto, or alarmed at their representations, emigrated at the same time in great num- bers. Their original intention was to settle at Penang, now called Prince of Wales' Island, in their voyage to which place they stopped at Lingcn, an island about eighty miles N, W. of Banca, where they were de- tained by the Rajah of Lingcn, and not permitted to proceed further. Radeen Jaflier afterwards invited the Lanoon pi- rates, who are the most formidable in this quarter, to invade the Banca coast on the straits to the southward of Minto, whilst Penglima Ramen, a native chief of Lingcn, with others of the same rank, in- vaded 157 vaded the eastern coast about Marawang^ ' and to the southward of that river, where the population of Bancanesc was also con- siderable. ^ Upwards of three thousand of the Bimca- nese were computed to have been removed from the island on this occasion, and half of this number are said to have been sold at Lingen, Pcntiana, and other places adja- cent. Tlie pirates having taken with them Bancanesc emigi*ants to guide them to the villages, were easily enabled to accomplish their purpose ; and having thus acquired a knowledge of the rivers and the places of abode of the people, could ever after conduct their enterprises with intelli- gence of the country, and thus succeeded in their pursuit of the (defenceless inhabiT tants. The repeated inroads of these marau- ders, until the cession of the island to the British Government, necessarily prevented the population from retrieving the losses sustained in these calamitous times, and thus the southern part of the island, as far as the district of Toobooalliei has since remained very deficient of people. The produce of tin was by this event considerably reduced ; and in consequence of the wars between Great Britain and Holland, a further cause of diminution of the deliveries to the Sultaun of Palembang, and by him to the Dutch, took place, owing to the increased activity of the smugglers, and the enterprising spirit of the Penang merchants, who at length engrossed the greater part of the tin trade. The Dutch, observing the great defalca- tion in their commercial concerns at Pa- lembang,took advantage of the calm which succeeded the peace of Amiens, and sent a frigate with Commissioners to inquire' , into the causes of such deficiency in their tin contract. The Sultaun received the Commission- ers with every attention and respect, ex- pressed his readiness to facilitate their inquiries, and conveyed the necessaiy orders to his delegates on Banca relative to the reception of the Commissioners with due m due respect. He no doubt, at the same time, delivered secret instructions to his agents to interpose every possible obstacle to their design, as the Commissioners, in closing their report, gave a very circum^ stantial detail of the difficulties obtruded by the chiefs of the island, to oppose the accomplishment of their purpose. The principal points upon which their report conveyed information respected the positions, along the coast of the island, which they had inspected, and considered most eligible for posts of observation and security against smugglers and pirates. They do not appear to have ventured into any part of the interior, nor to have ex- tended their observations beyond the range of the frigate. Whatever may have been their eventual intentions with respect to the island of Banca, they were frustrated by the renewal of the war, and the enterprize of the Penang traders. The Sultaun, no doubt, countenanced the smuggling trade, and found his advantage in the increased price received from sudi clandestine sales. 160 Ho was, however, veiy cautious never to give the Dutch Resident at Palembang any reason to suppose a disposition on his part at variance with his commercial treaty with the Dutch Government at Batavia. The island of Billiton was administered by a cliicf appointed by the Sultaun of Palcmbanj;, under the title of Dupattiq. This chief exercised, in fact, sovereign authority over the island, the Sultaun being indillerent respecting a possession from which ho derived so trivial a revenue. The tribute from this island was recorded in the Palembang books at one hundred aiul fifty dolhirs and one hundred amd fifty bundles of iron annually, and the Sultaun was satisfied by this small demonstration* of fealty, and the acknowledgment of his sovereign sway in the nominal appoint- ment of the chief who presided. Having thus depicted the principal fea- tures of the administration of the islands of Banca and Billiton under the government of the Sultaun of Palembang, I shall pro- ceed to give an outline of the general sys- tem 161 tern of management arranged by our own Government subsequent to the cession. Immediately upon our taking possession of the island, the Java Government di- rected an advance of the contracted price of deliveries of tin, in order to remove any pretext for clandestine disposal on the ground of inadequate remuneration » and to promote a full development of the resources of the mines. The Tckos, or Congsecs as they were generally called, in charge of the several mines, were there- fore informed that Government would al- low for all future deliveries to the ICnglish Resident at Banca, at the rate of eight Spanish dollars for every pecul of one hundred catties or one hundred and twenty-five Dutch pounds. This advance, thereforc, amounted to two dollars and two-thirds on every one hundred catties beyond the price they had heretofore received from the Sultaun of Palembang ; and such an advance, ex- , cecding fifty per cent., it was fair to sup- pose would afford an ample share of profit to the Congsee, and allow Buch a propor- tion for the miners as would stimulate exertions on their part^ to produce the most abundant quantity that the minci might be capable of yielding. It is diflicult to divine whether the Congsces were influenced solely by cupi- dity, or by the hope of obtaining a still further advance in the contract price ; or whether they expected, by opposing ob- stacles to our arrangement of the mines, that they should discourage the Govern- ment from undertaking the management of Banca, and obtain the reversion of the contract to the Sultaun of Falembang and a renewal of the former system of administration. Tlicir conduct, however, by whatever motives it may have been actuated, completely frustrated the inten- tions and disappointed the expectations of Government. Tlie Cliincse miners, hearhig of the consideration extended by Government towards the Congsces in the advanced price of tin allowed to them, considered themselves i I 163 themselves entitled to participate in the benefits of the new rate, and demanded from the Congsees an enhancement of the allowance for their deliveries. The Congsees resisted their demands, and the miners, incoit^oqucnce, refused to smelt the ore they had collected, or to carry on their labours in the mines. The deliveries of tin to Government, under these circumstances, were so trivial as to demand their particular attention, which was at the same time seriously awakened by the continued unfavourable reports of sickness at the new settlement. A commission was therefore appointed, consisting of the Resident and two other gentlemen, who were sent from Batavia, to report upon the state of the island. The Resident and one of the commis- sioners having been taken ill with the pre- vailing fever, the execution of the duties of the connnission remained to be per- formed by l)r, Horsfiekl, and for which the talents of this gentleman were per- fectly suited. 164 He travelled over the districts to the northward and eastward of Minto, and in the course of his inquiries and obscrva* tions had reason to conclude, that the de- falcation in the produce of tin, since the administration of the British Govennncnt, was to be attributed to the improper ma- nagement and extravagant expectations of the Congsccs, the disaffection of the miners, and the success of the smug-, glcrs. Government, therefore, determined upon a change of system, as suggested by the Resident my predecessor and Dr. llorsficld. The Congsees were to be paid for their stock at the mines, and for all the tin pro-: duccd from the ore which had been pre- pared by the miners, and for which the Congsees had made advances to them. The debts of the miners to the CJongsees, on account of advances made to them since the cession to the British Govern- mcnt, which might not be liquidated by the deliveries of tin in readiness, Govern-^ ment 165 ment undertook the responsibility of pay- ing to the Congsees. Their aecounts having been adjusted to the satisfaction of the CongHces, all fur- ther contract with them for working the mines was abolished. The administration of the mines was to be conducted for the future by the Resident, assisted by a com- petent number of civil oflicers, one of whom was stationed at each principal dep6t on the island. Tliese civil oflicers, who were called inspectors, were charged with the stores of provisions, &c. requisite for the miners, with the control of advances and the accounts of each mine, and with a general supcriutcndance of the mines and miners in their district. The Resident then assembled the miners on his visit to each district, and framed with them the following agreement,, which they cheerfully signed, and returned to their labours in the mines, elated with the prospect of adequate compensation for their future exertions. M 3 '' 1. The ^^ L The miners agree to deliver to Government 9 at the dcp6t of the distriet, all the tin extracted from the mines, on payment at the rate of six dollars per pecul, free of all charges whatever for smelting or transporting. ** 2. They agree to refund to Go* vemmcnt the amount of debt incurred by them for advances made to them by the former Congsccs, since the cession of the island to the British Government, which remains unliquidated. ' *' 3. They agree to take rice at three dollars per pccul, and other articles at proper rates, from the Government stores. * * 4. Government will provide the build- ings and furnaces requisite for smelting the ore ; but all other expenses attending the working of the mines ore to be defrayed by the miners.*' Tliis system of administration was in- troduced about twelve months after the cession of the island, during which period the deliveries of tin had been very triflmg. Of 167 ; . Of the . advantages which resulted to Government in the progress of this system towards completion, the following account of deliveries, for the successive periods^ will sufficiently manifest. From the 1st January to the 30th June 1813, the total deliveries of tin for this period of six months did not exceed three thousand five hundred and sixty peculs. From the Ist July 1813 to the 3l8t De- cember 1813, the total deliveries of tin on the island of Banca amounted for six months to three thousand seven hundred and thirty peculs. From the Ist January to the 31st De- cember 1814, the deliveries for one year amounted to nineteen thousand one hun- dred and fifty peculs. From the 1st January to the 31st De- cember 1815, they amounted to twenty- five thousand one hundred and ninety peculs. And from the 1st January to the 2d December 1816, the date of transfer of the island to the Netherlands' Govern- M 4 inent, mcnt; the deliveries for eleven months were twenty-six thousand six hundred and seventy peeuls. Having given a cursory sketch of the general system established for the mines^ I proceed to offer some particulars respect- ing each district. In doing so, I shall sup- pose myself setting out from Mhito on a tour of inspectioui in the course of which 1 shall notice whatever subject may seem to me interesting. Tlic first place we come to is Rangam^ to tlie east of Minto, distant about four miles. Here is a large mine worked by thirty miners, who, in the latter half of the year 1816, delivered two hundred and fifteen pcculs of tin. Rangam is a neat vil- lage, inhabited by Chinese and Malayese, who cultivate gardens, and supply the town of Minto witli vegetables. From llangaul to Beloe the distance is about four liours. Here also is a village of Chinese and Malayese, who pursue small traflic and cultivate gardens. The mines of Beloe are distant about twelve miles J 109 miles from the village, in a N.N.E. direct tion, through an elevated comitiy inter- sected by steep ascents and descents. The pathway is generally good, and the country open and pleasant. Only sixteen miners were here employed. They deliver about one hundred and fifty pcculs. From the mines of Beloe to Plannas the pathway is in some parts difficult, and occupied me six hours, in a N.E. direction, to accomplish. Here arc a few Malaycse, who work at the mines, in conjunction with eight Chinese. They deliver about one hundred peculs of tin. From Plannas the road lays N.N.W. through a winding path along the jungle, which occupies five hours to reach the sea shore ; proceeding along which for two . hours more, you come to the Campoong of the Orang Laots, at the mouth of the Jeboos river, from whence, through a swampy road, it takes one hour and a half to reach the stockade at Jeboos, The Jeboos river is broad at its entrance, but the channel is very rocky, and re* quires requires a guide, or eautioUi even in boats. A bank extends about two miles from the mouth, outside of which is three fathoms water. The river branches off in two directions, one N.E. to Soongy- Booloo, the other S.E. by E. to Jeboos, which winds very much the whole way, 80 that from tlwee to four hours would be occupied in the ascent to the stockade in a boat. Jcboos is inhabited by a few Chinese and Malayese, and is the residence of the inspector of the district, who has a comfortable habitation, with storehouses under his charge for providing the requi- site supplies to the miners. Here all the tin is collected from the mines of Jcboos, Klabat, and Soongy Booloo, previous to its transport to Minto. From Jcboos to the lower furnace the distance is performed in two hours and a half, in a direction N.E. by N. The road is tolerably good, generally through jungle, but occasionally there are open spots where the Orang Goonoongs have cultivated their ladang or hill rice. The mines of Jebpos are situated in the neighbourhood of this^ and the upper furnace about one mile beyond it. Klabat is about two miles further to the eastward, where is a fur- ft nace and a small post for the residence of a Congsee, now occupied by one of the native servants of Government subordi- nate to the inspector of Jcboos. The whole country about the two furnaces and Klabat has been cleared by the operations of the miners whose mines are situated hereabout, and from whence the ore is rea- dily conveyed to the furnaces for smelting. The tin is conveyed to the stockade at Jeboos as soon as smelted, and the miners have to pay, from the lower furnace, at the rate of one dollar for the transport of. seven slabs, or three pcculs and a half. From the upper furnace six slabs, and Klabat five slabs, for one dollar. Wheel- barrows* are used for transporting the tin, wliieh * The only description, or wheel-carriage^ exceptbg gun*carriagei, on the inland. which is no very arduous task^ as the road is generally down hill all the way to Jeboos, If the island had remained in our possessioni iron railways might in , particular situations have been introduced with great advantage, to facilitate the transport of the ore from the mines to the furnaceSy and the tin from the furnaces to the dep6ts. In the month of April 1813 there were eight small and four large mines belonging to Jeboos, employing one himdred and thirty-nine miners. When the island was transferred to the Netherlands' Govern- ment there were six large and thirteen in- ferior and small mines, givhig employment to two hundi'od and forty miners. Tlie produce yielded by these mines, in 1816, amounted to four thousand six hundred peculs. At Klabat, in the former period, there were two large and eight small mines, em- ploying seventy-seven miners ; and at the latter period foiur large and nine inferior and snmll mines, which employed one hundred 173 hundred and fifty miners, and produced for the same year three thousand three hundred peculs. At the upper and lower furnaces there are villages of Cliincse, who are occupied in smelting the ore, burning charcoal, or transporting the tin ; some carry on small traffic with the miners, and cultivate gar- dens. The habitations of the miners arc contiguous to their mines, and every house has its garden of vegetables, and particularly of cabbages, which are very fine. Pigs are also reared in considerable numbers, with great care and cleanliness* Tliey arc lodged upon a wooden platform, raised from the ground, near water, and are well covered, and every morning and evening the Cliinese souse tliem witli pails of water. Pork is very much esteemed by them, and is eaten on every occasion of festivity, whether of devotioa or business. On opening a new mine, a hog is a ne- cessary victim, to propitiate good luck in the undertaking. To tho north-west of Klabftt^ at a dis-^' tanco of two hours' journey, through a thick wood, you arrive at the mines of Mampang, which were opened by twelve miners shortly before the cession to theBri* tish Government. In 1816 these mines em- ployed thhty-four miners, but the ground is rocky and diflicult to work. Here are two tolerable mines, which have yielded about two hundred and fifty peculs in the year. Along the coast to the eastward of Mamj)ung are tho small rivers of Taynam and Jeboo, in the neighbourhood of which ten new mines were opened in the yeara 1814 and 1815^ upon the labours of which eighty-four miners are employed. These mines had not been opened sufficiently < long to afford full evidence of their pro- duce, as much labour had been expended in clearing away the jungle, making roads to the river and the mines, and erecting the smelting house and habitations of the peoj)le newly settled. The produce of 181() was about two hundred and fifty peculs. Mampang and Jeboo are placed under 176 under the management of two natives/ whose exertions are rewarded by Govern-^ ment with an allowance of two dollars on each pecul delivered, in consideration of which they meet all the extra charges at- tending the opening of new mines. The country about Jcboo, Taynam, and Mampang, as indeed along the whole north' const, is, with the exception of the spots cleared for mines, covered with a thick forest of large trees, in which is found some valuable timber of the descriptionai before mentioned. Soongy Booloo is a village of some consequence, about seven miles N.E. by N.* from Jeboos. It is situated on the other branch of the Jeboos river, which runs to the N. E. The mines of Soongy Booloo are two hours' journey from the village, through a good path, in a direction N. £; from the village. Road generally open. No large trees. Soil gravelly. They are four in number, three largo and one small, to which may be added one mine at Pamoja, further to the west- ward. They employ forty-eight miners^ and yield seven hundred peculs of tin. From Klabaty in a direction N. by E. distant four hours' journey, is Klabat Laot, seated on the western side of Klabat Bay. The first mile and a half of the road from Klabat is open groimd, all the rest of the way lies through a thick forest of large trees. Occasional openings intervene, which have been cleared by the Orang Goonoongs, for the cultivation of a' crop of rice. Mines had been opened formerly here, but were deserted in consequence of the depredations of the pirates. In the year 1814 a few miners were set to work on this pleasant spot, and placed under the directions of the inspector at Blinyoe. Tlicrc is a small village at Klabat Laot, consisting of fifty-six Chmese, who live by fishing in tlic bay. There is a considerable space of open ground about it, and the ruins of a Congsee's house, built of stone. Large rocks of fine granite are found on the laud. The seashore and beyond low-^ 177 lov-watermark is covered with black rocks. Klabat Bay , in its whole extent, is full of rocks, shallows, and islands, leavmg only a narrow channel on the eastern side by which vessels navigate toLayang. Ships - of considerable burthen, with a fair wind, may venture into the channel of this spa% cious and beautiful bay, which, as may be seen by the map, contains three basins. A great number of the Orang Laots in- habit the shores of this bay, who, when summoned, will appear in one or two hun- dred little boats, which they use in fishing and collecting trepangs and agar agar. The large river Antun flows into the cen- tre basin, fourteen miles N. W. from the mouth of which is the site of the old vil« lage of Antun. Communication between Soongy-Leat, Layang, and Jeboos, is ge- nerally carried on up this river, by which thetinofBlinyoe, Loemoot, Soongy-Leat and Marawang, used to be transported to Antun by the Orang Laots, . thence over- land by the Orang Goonoongs to Jeboos, and thence by sea to Palembang. This N mode mode of transport was adopted in the' time of the Sultaim of Palembang^ for better security against the pirates. That during this period the village of Antun must have been larger, appears from the abundance of cocoa-nut trees, and other marks of deserted population. The dis^ tance of Antun from the furnace village of Jcboos is seven miles, in a direction W. N. W. over a bad road, which in many places is covered with water. The soil being gravelly a substantial road might easily be made. From the mouth of the Antun river to the mouth of the Layang river, at the bottom of the bay, is a distance of fifteen miles, m a direction S. E. by E. This river is of a fine breadtli at its mouth, and in a very whiding course runs up to the village of Layang, in a direction of about S. S. £., at a direct dis- tance of eleven miles. Tanjong Mallaloo to the west, and Tanjong Pooniosoo to the east, form the boundaries of the entrance into Klabat Bay. The Dutch Commissioners, in the report 17& report alluded to in the foregoing part, recommended a post to be established on the point of Pooniosoo, for guarding the coast and bay against smugglers and pirates. Tliis point, or the island of Poo- niosoo, would certainly have been very eligible for a military post, had we retained the island of Banca ; under the circum* stances of our recent possession it was quite unnecessary. The island is about one mile frdm the point, and the channel into the bay leads close on the western side of it. From Klabat Laot to the Blinybe river, across the bay, is about nine miles. At the mouth of the river, near the projecting point of Tanjong Mantong, is a low island and sandbank, which are overflowed at high water, the channel up the river being close to the main land. The stockade of Blinyoe is about three miles from the mouth, where an inspector of mines is posted, and which is the dep6t for (ill the mines in the neighbourhood. N 2 the The fbrmer Coiigsce's housCi ^ which is the residence of the iuspectori has marks of the shot-holes which it received some years ago, during a desperate attack of the pirates, who were repelled by the in- habitants. The mines about Blinyoe were formerly very productive, and are said to have yielded twelve thousand slabs, or six thou- sand pcculs. They are now, however, very much exhausted. Those at present work- ed, are within a distance of an hour and a half's journey from the dep6t. In 1813 there were six mines, worked by twenty- seven Chinese. In 1816 twelve mines were worked, by ninety miners, and yielded one thousand six hundred and ten peculs, in- cluding Locmoot. The miners here formerly carried on a great trade of smuggling. During ore of my first tours I had the good fortune to detect an extensive adventure of this kind. A considerable quantity of tiii was found buried about the village, and clear evi- dence 181 dence was adduced against all those eii* gaged in the plot. Besides the tin found buried, it was ascertained that a quantity bad been carried oflF by a prow from Lin- gen a month before. Four of the princi- pal delinquents were sent prisoners to Batavia, which presented a suflicient ex- ample to deter others from the like crimi- nality for the future. This timely dis- covery had the best possible effects, and I have no reason to think that any such transactions occurred afterwards in any part of the island. There is a very pretty village near the stockade at Blinyoe, which was formerly more extensive. Within two miles of this village is another, called Pandjee. Here are the ruins of substantial houses, which denote its former more enlarged state. Two small mines are here worked by six- teen miners, Malayese and Chinese. From Blinyoe to Loemoot, by land, is about sixteen miles, along a bad pathway. The stockade of Loemoot is seated about a mile and a half from the river, at the N 3 distance distance of six miles from its mouth. Tlie river is narrow, and exceedingly trouble* some to get up, the windings being short and sudden. This river will not admit a prow of more than four tons burthen. The mines in the vicinity of this place, within a distance of six miles, through mi elevated country and a good road, are said to have produced formerly ten thousand slabs : they arc now very much exhaust- ed. Three mines are now worked by forty miners, and the produce is included in that of Blingoe. From the mouth of Loemoot river to that of Layang is about five miles, and thence to the village of Layang, taldng the traverses of the river, may be a computed* distance of twenty miles; the grandeur of the mountain of Goonoong Maras appearing in full sublimity through the whole course. Tlie scenery of Klabat Bay, witli the lofty mountain of Goo- noong Maras, deserves more fertile powera of description than my imagination can command. Tlie 183 V The village of Layang it inhabited by forty-eight .Chinese families 8nd a few Ma- . . laycse, vho cany on a small- trade, and cultivate gardens. Seven 'mines were for- . merly worked here, by thirty-t^o minera, ' which are now exhausled. From Layang to Lampoor is a jpumcy of about four hours^ in a direction £. by S. ; the'first part of the road, for a mile and. a half, is open gi*ound, elevated, and covered with lalang or coarse high grass, when you enter a forest, the road through whi6h is • in many places swampy, and intersected by small streams which fall into the Layang . river, and in others leading over small hills, the slopes of which are worn into gullies Ijiy the rains. This forest extends over about four miles of the road, in which many very large trees of kayoo arang, or ebony, are discernible : the remaining part of the road is through open ground^ covered with lalang. At Lampoor is a furnace for smelting the ore of the mines of this place, of which there are ten small ones worked by thirty-two miners, the N 4 produce 184 ph)duce of wliioh is included with Soongy^ . Lcaty to which district it is subordinate. ... From Lampoor to Soongy-Leat is a distance of seven milesi through a clear V open country and a good road, in a direc- tion E.S.E. Soongy-Loat enjoys the advantage of a clear and bcautifVil country for some, miles around it. No country can present a more pleasing aspect than this does : hill and dale, plains, rocks, and woods, Unite, in various shades, to gratify the traveller, with the most beautiful and diversified scenery. .The appearance of this country • would denote an extended cultivation for- merly, which, in future times, when the population has retrieved the losses it has* sustained by the ravages of pirates and minrule, may again aflbrd additional charms to this wide waste. Soongy-Leat is situated on a small river, which runs into the sea a short distance below the town. An inspector of mines is placed here, who superintends and collects the produce of fifty-six small mines, 185 niineBi worked by two hundred and twenty minersy who in the year 1816 produced four thousand pcculs. In the year 1813 this district employed one hundred and eleven miners, who worked at twenty- three small mines. • At a distance of about fifteen miles jour* ney from Soongy-Leat, along the coast tp the northward, there is a snudl river called Mapoor. Here new mines have been opened by forty-three miners, who in the year 1816 produced three hundred and forty peculs of tin, included with Soongy- Leat. Soongy-Leat may be considered to hold the rank next to the town of Minto. Its inhabitants consist of about ninety Chi- nese and as many Malayan families. There is good anchorage for ships in the bay of Soongy-Lcat. In the year 1815 a gun- boat, or small aimed vessel for guarding the coast, whilst at anchor in this bay, was caught in a whirlwind, and foundered before the crew had time to cut the cable, and the greater part of the crew were lost. From Soongy-Leat to Marawangvihe . distance is about eight miles/ on the road to which) through a clear open country, wo pass many of tlie mines of Soongy- Leat) amongst which are those of Labuc* ley, where you meet in great plenty small crystals of quartz, of an hexagonal form^ terminating in a pyramid. Marawang is tlie situation of another inspector, and a dep6t for stores and col- lections of tin from the circumjacent mines. In the year 1813 tliis district em- ployed sixty-two miners, on fifteen exca- vations. In the year 1816 collections were received from four large and forty- one small mines, giving employment to two hundred and ninety-five miners, who delivered six thousand peculs of tin. The village of Marawang is increased propor- tionably with the mines, and the popula- tion is composed almost wholly of Chinese, who consist of one hundred and forty-four families. It is distant about five miles from Pankal Booloo, on a narrow branch of the river Marawang, running to the north- «. 187 horth-west. At Ponkal Booloo vessels « unload the stores for the district^ and re* ccivo the tin for conveyance to Minto. At the mouth of the Marawang river there is a small place called Batoe Ampat) from which there is a road to Soongy- Leat along the shore. Here the tin of Pankal Pinang, and occasionally of Ma- rawang, is lodged, for more ready ship- ment and consignment to Minto. Under the administration of the Sultaun of Palembang the tin of Marawang was conveyed by the Orang Goonoongs to Layang, a distance of twenty-five miles^ which imposed a severe and toilsome duty upon these innocent and simple people^ from which they were relieved by our Go- vernment. The readiest mode of communication, and the pleasantest, from Marawang to Pankal Pinang, lies to Pankal Booloo, tliere embarking, to descend one branch of the river within two miles of the mouth, and up the other, which leads S.S.E, to the post of the inspector of Pankal Plnang, the country about .which is hilly and woody, but the soil in general more favourable for cultivation than the northern part of the island. The population of Orang Goonoongs is comparatively con* siderable in this district, and in the south- ern part of the island they may be said to compose the sole inhabitants, with the exception of a few Chinese miners at Toobooallie. * In the year 1813, the district of Pankal Plnang contained seventeen small mines, worked by fifty- four miners ; and in the year 1816 five large and forty-four small mines employed two hundred and thir- teen miners, from whom three thousand four hundred and forty peculs of tin were received. To the southward of Pankal Pinang, about twenty-eight miles distant, on the cast coast, at a place called Coba, four small mines have been opened by twenty- eight Malayese, who went from Minto for that purpose ; who delivered one hun- dred and fifty peculs, in the year 1816, included .^ 189 included in Pankal Pinang collections. This place^ whicli lays up a Viver of the same name^ three hours* journey, was for<* merly inhabited by natives of the island^ and in the Paleuibang books is recorded to have fumislied one hundred men for feudal services. The population is novr confined to the few Malaycse above men- tioned. Between Pankal Pinang and Coba the . following rivers intervene : MesoOy an inconsiderable river, only navigable by small boats. The mines of Pankal Pinang extend to the neighbour- hood of this river, off the mouth of which a small guard is posted, to keep watch along the coast. Pankool, a narrow river, similar to Meesoo Lampuyang and Manuyang, twa inconsiderable rivers rather larger than the former, will admit a small description of prow called kakups. Senomer, a small river, like those of Mesoo and Pankool. Courrow, CotirroWy a large river of the same des- cription as Coba. It will admit prows of thelargest size^ called panjajups^ which will convey fifty tons of tin. Goontoong, a small river between those of Courrow and Coba, navigable by ka- kups only. Vessels never venture on these rivers, the coast being so very dangerous from the numerous rocks and shoals. At low water the best road to Coba lies • along the beach. From Pankal Pinang a way leads to Jerakh, in a direction W, by S, distant twelve miles, over a good road and ele- vated country, with many appearances of Orang Goonoong cultivation. Here are twelve small mines, worked by fifty-three Orang Goonoongs and Malaycse, who de- liver their tin at Pankal Pinang, Jcrak is situated near the river Salan, which runa into the Straits of Banca near the Nanca islands. From Pankal Pinang, in a direction W, by N. a road leads to Pankal Mmdo, pass- ing 191 ing through fiye Campoongs of Orang GoonoongSy and is a fatiguing journey of eight hours* Pankal Mindo is situated on the river Mindo^ which runs into the Straits of Banca a little to the northward of the Nanea islands. From Paneal Mindo^ to reach the mouth of the river occupies twelve hours' descent in a prow. This, river^ in common with all the rivers on Banca^ winds very much and is very nar-^ roWy though deep^ after ascending a short distance. The progress of a prow is frequently obstnictcd by the rapidity of the tide impelling it against the jungle on each side, which, with every caution of the crew, cannot sometimes be prevented, owing to the very short and sudden turns of the river. In tlie time of the Sultaun of Palcmbang the tin of Pankal Piiiang was conveyed to Pankal Mindo overland by the Orang Goonoongs, and thence shipped on boats for transport to Palembang. From tills laborious, and, as it was then, unprofitable service, they have since been relieved. : In my last tour of inspection I endea* vourcd to make a passage from the Mara« wang river to the southward, along the east coast to Billiton, and thence round the southern extreme of Banca to Toobooairie, the most southern post on the island. The S. E. monsoon set in, however, so strong, that the gun-boat in which I was embark- ed could not weather the point of Tanjong Brckat, which is along projecting point to the eastward, on the north side of which there is good anchorage in deep water, within two miles of the shore, which is marked by a clear, gravelly, and sandy beach. After beating about this point for two days M'ithout making any progress, I em- barked in a rowing prow with the chief of the Orang Laots in the employ of Go- vernment, and, accompanied by the other prows under his orders, took advantage of the favourable tide at night to effect the passage along the coast to Kuppo. From Tanjong Brckat to this place the whole coast is very rocky. I reached the mouth of 193 of the Kuppo river at daylight the fol* lowing morning, from whence is seen an island called Pooloo Booroong, bearing nearly due east, at a distance computed to be twelve miles. There is another island, called Pooloo Tingee, on which is a lofty hill with a sharp conical sum- mit, bearing nearly due south. Tlie mouth of the Kuppo river is about eighty yards broad, and about six fathoms deep. A flat runs off for some distance, having a channel over a bar which will admit a vessel of about one hundred tons* Kuppo is situated about six miles up this river, which is unifonnly broad through this distance. Seventy-eight Cliincse arc here, working at ten small mines, which were opened in the month of March 1814, when they went from Minto for this purpose ; and in 1816 they delivered seven hundred and forty- eight peculs of tin into the dep6t at Toobooallie, exclusive of one hundred and fifty slabs, or seventy-five peculs, which were captured by the pirates of Billiton 194 off the south extremq of Banca^ and which were coming round in a prow to Tooboo- allie. The navigation from Kuppo to Toobooallie is said not to be safe for ves- sels of any burtlien^ It leads through an intricate and rocky channel^ called the Salat Lepur, between the coast of Banca and some small islands, the largest of which is called Pooloo Lcpur. The Orang Laots, who inhabit the coast and islands hereabouts, arc called Orang Lcpur. They arc a wiUl race, whom I had hopes of making tractable and more civilized, by giving employment to them in tlie service of Government, as tliey evinced a dispo- sition to make themselves useful imme- diately before the transfer. From Kuppo on the easteni, to Too- booallie on the western coast, is a distance of live hours* journey, or twelve miles and a half, in a direction W, by N. The tin from the former is transported over- land to the depAt at the latter, to avoid the intricate navigation in large vessels, and the danger from pirates if conveyed in prows ; i 195 prows ; half a dollar per pecul is paid for the hire of transport. The services of tlie Orang Lepur would have been advan- tageously directed oa this duty, whenever the island of Billiton had become settled. Toobooallie, the most southern dep6t of the island, is situated close to Tanjong Sabong, which bears from the island of Lucipara N. 44' E. An inspector, with a military guard of forty men, is here sta- tioned. Tlie post and village of Tooboo- allie were, previous to 1814, established on a very pleasant and elevated spot, about two miles up a river, which runs hito the sea three miles from Tanjong Sa- bong. It was here that the only catas- trophe occurred in the formation of our administration, and in the extension of our authority over the island of Banca. At the connncncement of our admi-. nistration, that part of the island south of Pankal-Pinang was quite overlooked, owing to the attention of the Resident being so entirely engrossed by the aflfturs of Palembang, the formation of a new 2 settlement. settlement/ and the general sickness that prcvmled there, as well as by the unsettled state of the valuable mine districts more Immediately in its vipinity. Radeen Kling, a native chief of a Palembang family, had acquired a strong influence over the peo- ple of Toobooallie, and had formed a close connexion with the Dupattic of Billiton. They seemed disposed to act in conjunction, independently of the au- . thority of the British Government on Banca, and had evaded every summons to attend at Minto to take the oath of allegiance, as all the other principal na- tives on the island had done. In the month of March 1813, the Resident was preparing to send one of the Hon. Com- pany's cruizers, then at his disposal, to bring these chiefs to Minto. A few days before the vessel sailed, Radeen Kling made his appearance, bringing with him nineteen Lascars of the fine ship Aber- cromby, that had been wrecked some months previousfly off the coast of Billi- ton. The Lascars reported that they had been 197 been fed and kindly treated by him and* his people^ every offence was therefore obliterntcd and forgiven. His excuse for delay of attendance was the sickness of his children, which was readily admittedi as he, at the same instant, proffered his services to point out and bring away the rest of the crew of the Abercroniby from the island of Billiton. This chief, it was notorious, was smug* . gling all the tin he could collect at Too- booallie, and carrying it over to Billiton, where, in conjunction with the Dupattie of Billiton, he was pursuing a lawless system of piracy, and plunder. On the occasion of his visit to Minto, he delivered twelve peculs of tin, as a mask to his de- signs. The Resident suspected the wily character of this man, but encouraged the hope that the information and influence he possessed in the neighbourhood might be turned to the advantage of the public service. A gentleman, Mr. Brown, was appointed inspector at Toobooallie : and, as he was ignorant of every language but ' f he English^ an interpreter and writer were sent with him^ and Radeen Kling was directed to give his aid to Mr. Brown in the settlement of the district. No sooner had I received charge of the residency than letters were received from Mr. Brown, complaining of Radeen Kling, and desiring his removal from the district, which he found it impossible to controul so long as his presence was permitted. A . gunboat was immediately sent to Too- booallie, with the assistance rcqubedby Mr. Brown, but the commander returned to Minto, reporting that he could not find the place, but that he had heard that Mr. Brown had left it in prows on his way to Minto. Shortly after, the few Amboy- nese soldiers who had been sent as a guard with Mr. Brown found their way back to Minto across the country, and reported that Radeen Kling, with a body of his people, had taken Mr. Brov.Ti by surprise, and had murdered him and his clerk. A military force mider an officer was sent to Toobooallie immediately on the 199 • the return of the gunboati and orders sent round to an officer who happened then to be employed with the cruizing prows of Government off Marawang, to proceed down the coasts and to endeavour to intercept Radcen Kling. On the ar- rival of this force at ToobooalUe, the place was found totally deserted. A few Orang Goonoongs made their appearance, from whom it was ascertained that Radcen KUng, after having committed the mur- ders, had lost no time in making his way to Billiton. Having never seen Mr. Brown, I can- not speak from personal knowledge of his character. He was represented as a blunt honest man, to whom the fatigues of per- sonal activity were a delight; and this disposition was, no doubt, an essential qualification for the duties of the district confided to him. But, in such a place, a total ignorance of the language, even with an interpreter, could only be com- pensated by intelligence of mind, and by strong powers of discrimination, and per- o 4 ception ception of the tiharttctero of the individuals whom he had to conduct and controuL Of these Mr. Brown was most likely deficient. Content with the confidence which artless simplicity inspires, he pro« bably had no discretion in imparting his senthnents, whicli were delivered from an honest conviction, without consideration of their expediency with regard to circum- stances or to time. Vexed that his district had been unproductive, which p^ ional observation had, by strenuous personal activity, enabled him to know it ought not to have been, and justly tracing the cause of his vexation to the counteraction of Radecn Kling, he seems to have .openly declared his opinions to this treacherous man, and to have avowed his determina- tion of proceeding to Minto, for the pur- pose of rendering a full explanation to the Resident. This was the only reason that further inquiry could substantiate for the savage conduct of Radeen Kling. The ofBcer sent to Toobooallie very judiciously established a post at Tanjong Sabong, \ 201 Sabongy where he could command a fiiU view of the coast to the southwardi and^ in case of the appearance of any prowa, be prepared to resist a piratical attempt. This post, with the subsequent coloniza« tion of Kuppo, preserved the district of Toobooalliei during the remainder of our administration on Banca, free from inquie« tude^ or incursion by the pirates. No Chinese miners were employed in this district previous to the cession by the Sultaun of Palcmbang. Besides those at Kuppo, there are now; only thirty- four Chinese miners working at six small mines : the works of all the other mines are carried on by the native population. Of these two hundred and twenty, under twenty-one native heads, are employed at twenty-one small mines, who, with the thirty-four Chinese miners, in the year 1816, delivered nine hundred and seven- ty-five peculs of tin. In the year 1814 the first deliveries from this district amounted to six hundred and twenty-five The native population of this district, both in appearance and character, does not accord with that of the more northern part of the island. A great intermixture of various classes of Malayese with the Orang GoonoongSi has not only occa« sioncd a variation of countenance and man- ner in the people of this part of Banca, but has engendered, also, more intelligence, or perliaps, more properly speaking, cun- ning and duplicity, than we find amongst the untutored race to the northward. The ground about Toobooallie appears to have been actively worked, and many places exhausted. But as the operations of the people have been limited to the . more easy labours of the surface, a fur* ther speculation will hereafter be offered for seeking stratas of ore by more ar« duous labours at a greater depth. There is still veiy abundant labour for the popula- tion on their present plan, and it will require the enterprizuig spirit and corpo- real strength of the Chinese to overcome* the difiicultics of pursuing the other. The 203 The Campoongs of the natives are genc«* rally formed into squares, the house of the Batin, or chief, being in the centre, and the whole is circumscribed by a fence. The habitations are comfortable and neat, though small, and generally raised some feet from the ground. The people in this part of the island, if they have iuclinatiori, will not be defective of spirit and ability to resist the inroads of pirates. I shall now deliver a short account of the island of Billiton, the accuracy of which I cannot rest upon any other foun- dation than the best information I was enabled to obtain. This Island was ceded by the Sultaun of Palembang, and is included in the deed of cession of the island of Banca, being therein specifically mentioned. Under instnictions from the Government of Java, a native chief was directed to be sent by the Resident at Banca, to hold authority over the island, which he was to adminis^ ter in the name and under the appointment of the British Government. A native chief. by name Rajah Akil^ of the ancient family that possessed sovereign dominion over the country of Siak^ in the N.E. part of Sumatra, nearly opposite to Malacca, was selected for this purpose. The father of Rajah Akil had confided to an Arab the administration of the affairs of his country, who, employing the favour and authority bestowed upon him to for- ward his own aggrandizement', at length succeeded in expelling the family of his benefactor, and usurping the sovereign authority over the country of Siak. Rajah Akil fled with his family to Lin- gen, whence he came to Minto. In the course of his residence at Lingen, he had^ frequently visited Billiton, and had ac- quired a knowledge of the country, and of the chiefs inhabiting it. In the year 1815 he was sent by the Resident to Billiton, with a letter to the Dupattie, enjoining that chief to come to Minto, and offering him assurances of safety and protection on his way to Minto and on his return. He was mformed, at the 205 the same time^of Rajah AkiVs appointment as chief of the Island of Billiton, whom he was called upon to aid and assist^ and to withdraw himself from all connexion with Radecn Kling. Conforming to these requisitions, he was told that he would receive the appointment of a chief in su- bordination to Rnjnh Akil, and all the privileges annexed to it : on the contrary, his refusal would be considered an act of rebellion against the British Government, and subject him to punishment accord- ingly. Rajah Akil, having received the neces- sary supply of provisions and equipment for his prows, set sail from Minto, and proceeded to Sedjoo, on the north coast of Billiton. On his arrival he found the inhabitants ready and willing to acknow- ledge the authority of Government, and from hence he sent the letter to the Du- pattic of Billiton. Here he received in- formation of a design formed by the Du- pattie of Billiton, in conjunction with Radeen Kling, to attack him with their united strength. Radeen Kling had plan- ned to attack him by sea, at the same time that the Dupattie, who waste maix^h across • tlie country, invested him by land. Tlie station of Radeen Kllng was at Belantu, on the south coast of the island that of the Dupattie at Cheruchup, on the western coast, which is considered the principal river and place on the island. In anti- cipation of their combined attack, Rajah Akil, leaving his prows at Sedjoo, marched at night to Chenichup, a distance of six liours* march, and came upon the Dupattie before he had time to collect his men. Tlie contest was very short, for the Du- pattie having fallen, his followers imme- diately ran away. Rajah Akil then re- * turned to Minto, and requested further aid to enable him to overcome Radeen Kling, and the piratical chiefs acting with him. These chiefs consisted of Panglima Daleem, belonging to Cadawang, a river situated in the province of Matan on the south-western coast of Borneo, who had a considerable huraber of prows employed in 207 in acts of piracy ; of Rajah Jecna, Rajah Mahommcdi Penglima £tani| and Pcng« lima Ibangi from the islands and places about Lingcn, wlio were also in confcde* ration with Radeon Kling. To this aeconnt is aimexcd an outline of the island, according to the information received from Raj ah Akil. This may con - vey some knowledge of the position of the villages and rivers, but cannot be de- pended upon as a correct chart of the island, to which it lias no pretension. The number of inhabitants on the whole island are said to amount to two thousand, or more. The produce of the island and coasts consists of trepnngs, agar agar, birdsnests, kayoogaroo, or kalembek, ho- ney, wax, dammcr, and iron in considera- ble quantity, which is principally esteemed , for making the blades of creeses. Tih is also said to be found on Billiton, but this opinion perhaps rests on the sales of the smuggled tin from Banca. Rice is cultiva- ted by the inhabitants, in like manner with the people of Banca, to whom the natives have a close resemblance. They would cheerfully receive the authority of any Government, in preference to the lawless banditti to whom they are now exposed. This island may still be considered to appertain to us, according to the cession of the Sultaun of Palembang, as no men- tion is made of it in the convention of 1814 with the Netherlands' Government, Returning to Toobooallie, from whence our attention was directed to Billiton, we take leave of all further mention of Chinese miners or people, the population of the places we have further to notice, which lay along the western coast, being entirely composed of Malayese and Orang Goonoongs. Passing from Toobooallie towards Min- to, at a distance . of about eight miles, is a small river called Ncerie, the entrance ^ of which is very shoal ; the population is included in the account of Toobooallie, Seven miles ftirthcr is the river Oolim, which is also small. About eight miles up this river, which one mile beyond its mouth d 209 I mouth is only navigable for canoes^ there is a small stockade for security of the Jemang^ or native chief, and his people, who are placed here. There are twelve Campoongs in the neighbourhood of this place, having a population of two hundred and sixty-seven persons, of all ages. They have produced one hundred and fifty pe« culs of tin in a year, from five small mines, which is delivered at Minto, or at Too- booallie, according as oppoi1:unities offer for its conveyance. Tliey likewise collect annually about twenty peculs of wax. Eight miles from Oolim is the river Ballar, or Surdang. The Campoong is situated near the source of this river, about thirteen hours' journey in a canoe from the mouth. The navigation being interrupted by the overhanging jungle on each side, will not readily admit a prow. The jungle has been permitted to obstruct the passage, as a security against pirates^ who some years ago carried off no less than two hundred and fifty persons from this part of the country, and many others in subsequent years. The inhabitants used to carry on an extensive traffic in matS) honey, and wax. Tlie population is now reduced to ninety-one of all ages; the Campoong is distant ten hours' journey from Banca Cotta, through a bad road. A native chief, called a Dupattie, is charged with this place, where he has opened two small mines, the produce of which has been delivered at Minto, in small quantities. Between Ballar and Permisan are three small rivers. Cabal, Enross, and Nyou, whicli arc not worthy of notice. The vil- lage of Permisan stands at the foot of the mountain of that name, about eight miles from the shore. IVo small mines are* worked near the shore, the produce of which has been delivered at Minto, to the amount of about fifty peculs. Wax is collected from the mountain in quantity not excccdhig four peculs annually. Permisan, or Bassoon, is distant seven , hours' journey from Banca Cotta; the other Campoong is twelve hours* journey from 211 from the same place. The two have a population of one hundred and sixty-three persons, of all ages. A few miles N.W. of Permisan Hill is the entrance of the river of Banca Cotta, which, though not very broad, is a fine river, and continues of the same breadth all the way up to the town, which is situated nine miles from the mouth of the river. The town contains now a population of one hundred and seventy persons only, but it appears to have been much more populous. Many of the inhabitants have been carried off by pirates, and others by the Palcmbang people, under pretext of services due for debts incurred. The country in the vicinity of Banca Cotta docs not offer much expectation of pro- duce in tin ; mats, honey, and wax are the articles of trade amongst this people. The town is under the controul of a De« mang, whose authority extends over five Campoongs. The population of the Cam« poongs include about one hundred and fifty persons. The mouth of the river Salan^ which is near the Nanca Islands^ is very shoaL It is a large river^ running up to Jerak^ as before-mentioned. Two small rivers, Samboolan and Pena- goong, intervene between the Salan and the Mindo rivers. The latter is a large river, broad at the entrance, but intricate of access, owing to the shoals which run off from it. Tlie Orang Goonoongs, who are numerous in this part of the country, are principally employed in the cultivation of rice, and assisting in the mines of Pan- kal Pinaiig. I have already given some description of this river in the account of that district. About eight miles from the mouth of the Mindo river is the entrance of the Kotabringin river. A shoal runs off to a distance of four miles, which renders it inaccessible to prows, excepting at high water. The river wmds very much, and the 213 the town is situated on a small braneh of it^ at a distance of nine miles from the sea. It contains a population of forty* seven persons. The Demang of this place is vested with authority over the native population in this part of the country^ and^ under the Sultaun^ was charged to prevent smug- gling and piracy between Tanjong Poony and Banca Cotta. About seven miles westward of this last river, is the small river of Tempelang. ^ The town so called is about half a mile from the beach, and contains fifty persons^ residing in a small quadrangular fort, built of brick and stone, the walls of which are ten feet high and two feet thick, with many shot holes, bearing the marks of tho siege it sustained from pirates. Some years, ago this part of the country was very productive in tin; the mines are now nearly exhausted, and very little is produced for delivery at Minto. The river Jeering is a large river, with a very broad entrance, navigable for prows to a considerable distance. ^Mines were opened in tlie neiglibourhood of tliis river in the year 1814^ but tlie attempt was not attended with success. The river Sukal is a small river, near Tanjong Poony, remarkable only for a bed of oysters of very large size, but which when fresh are well flavoured. A general Account of the population of the island is contained in the Appen- dix. The character of the OrangGoo- noongs, or natives of Banca, may be ex- pressed in a few words. They are an honest, simple, tractable, and obedient people ; in personal appearance much more attractive than the same description of people at Palcmbang. The pure Chinese inhabitants are an orderly, decent, and rcspcctabl e class of people, in which fa- vourable view many of the miners may be also included. Amongst the lower classes of Chinese in- habitants and miners, many have brought with them the vicious habits they imbibed in their native country, and may be de- scribed 216 scribed of a turbulent and dissipated cha- racter. They however constitute so mudi the minority y that they are easily restrain- ed and kept in subordination^ by the dis- cipline of authority, and the influence of the better example of those around them. The miners are a laborious class of peo- ple, excited to their arduous task by the cheering expectation of reward commen- surate with their toils, added to the spe- culative hope that a lucky hit of a rich vein of ore may enhance their fortunes beyond the ordinaiy means of accumu- lation. The Malayesc are a peaceable indolent class of people, whose character, both at Banca and Palembang, is perfectly free from the reproach of ferocity. Tlie Orang Laots of Banca would, I ap- prehend, correspond much in character with the people of Borneo and Billiton^ who engage in piracy and smuggling ; an^ to such adventures they would probably resort, did they not experience the comforts of settled life and regular subsistence by p 4 employment employment from Goverament^ in addition > to their resources of fisliing. They, with- the Orang Goonoongs, may be considered daily improving in their habits and intel*- ligence, by intercourse with Europeans^ and under the protection of European authority. Tlie tin mines of the island of Banca have been noticed only within the last hundred nnd twenty years, and the dis- covery of this valuable production of the island is related to have been made on the occasion of the conflagration of one of the native houses. It may perhaps, how- ever, be traced, mth a much higher de- gree of probability, to the practice of burning the forest, preparatory to the cul- tivation of a space of ground intended for a crop of rice, which, antecedent to the knowleilge of the existence of the mines, would constitute the main pursuit of the population. In rooting up and burning the hvrge trees, the earth, for a few feet below the surface, would neces- sarily become exposed to a considerable degree 217 degree of heat from the large masses of fired timber ; and as the dryest and hotr test month of the year is selected by the natives for igniting the woods previously cut dowQ and dried| every circumstance of this conjecture favours probability^ in preference to the accidental burning of one of their light and slight insignificant dwellings, the heat arising from which could only act upon the surfacCi and therefore could be hardly conceived to operate with sufficient energy to bring the metallic particle below into a state of fusion and combination. Tin very much resembles silver, when first formed into a mass out of a fluid state from the furnace : if, therefore, only a small volume of the metal were found in the manner above supposed, it would strongly excite the at- tention of the discoverer. He would be urged by motives of fear from conceal- ment, and by expectation of interest to a disclosure to his despotic Prince of the treasures to be expected from the soil. The gravity of this metal, and the Intel- Ugence of the Chinese residmg at Palem- baiig^ would soon i)ring to the conviction of the Siiltnun its true character and de- scription, and induce him to encourage a colony of Chinese on the island, through whose spirit of entcrprize and industry he might expect to reap the greatest advan- tagc> from the alluring prospect presented by this recent discovery. The establishment of Chinese miners on the island has been coeval with the pro- duction of tin, and their numbers have been preserved by annual importation, brought by tlie China junlcs. The vacan- cies by casualties, of the death of some^ and of the return of others to their native country, enriched by their successful in- dustry, were careftilly supplied by the Congsees or administrators of the mines, who annually sent a confidential and com- petent Chinese agent by the junk return- ing from Palembang to China, to invite efficient and select men to adventure the emigration to Banca. This agent was particular in his choice of the . province • from r 219 from whence he drew his recruits^ giving the preference to the natives of that dis« trict who, to bodily strength, added the character of being patient and tractable in their disposition^ Thus he obtained men competent to the labours on which they were to be employed, and at the same time guarded against the evils of profligacy and insubordination, so much to be apprehend- ed from a collective body of unlettered men. The agreement of the agent with these men was arranged previous to their departure. The expences of their voyage and esta- blishment was to be defrayed by the Congsee, who was to be reimbursed from their first profits at the mines upon which they worked. Until they had liquidated the obligations they thus incurred, and cleared all subsequent debts, they were not permitted to relinquish the labours of the mines. When the island of Banca was ceded to Great Britain, the deficiency of Chinese miners became very soon evident, and the Government of Java, in consequence, in- timated •• \ timated to the Select Committee of the Honourable Company at Canton the re- quisition for a number of Chinese being sent to Banca. Three ships were in con- sequence freighted with all sorts of Chinese indiscriminately, whom the commanders of the ships could obtain to adventure their fortunes on Banca, for each of whom landed on Banca they received at the rate of thirty'doUarrs per man. During the first three months of the year 1814 no less than one thousand five hundred and eighty- seven Chinese were thus landed at Minto. The settlement of our establishment there was just then completed, and many incon- vcniencics, to the Chinese as well as to us, attended the first importation of such a numerous body of the lowest order of men. The expense attending this impor- tation amounted to forty- seven thousand &ix Imndred and ten Spanish dollars ; and although, on a comparative view of the increased deliveries of produce, during this and the subsequent two years, our advantages cannot be denied from the direction ■i 221 direction of the labours of these people at the old) and at the opening ofnew mines^ we Iiave yet to lament that all our exer- tions have only tended to augment the value and importance of a possession we did not intend to keep, and, while we have been labouring at the plough and sowing the seed, we have the mortifica- tion to behold the harvest destined to enrich those who have neither had any share in our burthens, nor afforded any aid to our toils. In openmg a new mine, the ground is previously examined by an experienced miner. A plain between two low hills, near a stream of water, is generally con- sidered to offer favourable expectation of a stratiun of ore. The ground being selected for trial, an iron borer, with a small co^ nical scoop at the bottom, terminating in a point, is then driven perpendicularly into the ground, and the man employed judges by the feeling and sound when he is come to the stratum of ore, which he pierces with the borer, and then draws up. The scoop brings up in it a specimen of tlie orCi which is tlicn washed, and the metallic particles separated from the earth with wliich it is intermixed ; being found sufficiently rich, they proceed to ascertain the direction in which the stratum runs. If the ore is found within ten feet of the surface, which is frcciuently the case, and sometimes at a less depth, particularly in the eastern districts, their labours become very simple. Tlie muie, in such a case, is called a coolit, which in Malayese sig- nifies skin or surface. This they work by cutthig away the earth progressively, and detaching the part which contains the ore from the remainder. If the stratum of ore be found at a depth of three or four fathoms, the mine is called a coolong, and the labours become more arduous, exi)ensive, and intricate. In the first instance, the miners dig out a large square excavation round the spot where they have ascertained by the borer that ore is to be found, and to the cor- responding depth, that they may ascertain the 223 the direction in which it runs^ and accord- ing thereto prolong the excavationi which they cany on until the stratum of ore dis- appears. They then examine the ground around with a view to recover the vcin^ or to trace a new one, which they may pursue by the application of the channels^ trenches, and other works already formed. If they fail in this attempt, the mine is considered exhausted, and they endea- vour to find a productive spot at a greater distance, so as to enable them to apply as much as possible their former works. Failing in this endeavour, they abandon the spot altogether. In carrying on these deep and extensive excavations, it will be very evident that the miners will have occasion to employ machinery to draw up the water occupy- ing the bottom of the mine, either from springs or falling rains. This they execute by means of an inge- nious and simple contrivance, the descrip- tion of which, traced from memoiy only, may fail to convey a just idea thereof. A wheel, A wheel, from six to eight feet in diame- ter, is placed at the edge of the mine, and is turned by the falling of a stream of water, conducted through a channel made to the level of the top of the wheel. To the axis of the wheel is affixed small square flat boards or cogs, corresponding in breadth and depth to the links of an instrument called a talee aycr, which draws up the water from the mine through a trough. The trough is placed in an ob- lique position, reaching from the surface of the ground at the top of the mine to the depth at which the miners have made the excavation, where it is firmly fixed, and the waters at the bottom ore made to incline towards it. At the bottom of the trough a spindle is fixed, round which flat boards or cogs, exactly corresponding with tliose at the axle, and which also fit the links of the talee ayer, are made to revolve. The length of the trough is ad- justed to the depth of the excavation, and the number of the links of the talee ayer fitted to the distance between the axle 225 axle of the wheel and the spindle at the bottom of the trough. Each link of the talee ayer is made so as to turn and per- form one revolution with the cog or flat board, which, in the operation of the machine, it lays hold of at the axle and at the bottom of the trough. Tlie breadth of the links forming the talce aycr is made to fit as close as possible to the sides of the trough, and of corresponding height. As the fall of the water turns the wheel, the cogs at the axle and spindle of the trough turn each link successively, so that whilst one half of the links are de- scending the other half arc rising up in the channel of the trough, and as closely as practicable to the sides thereof, each link bringing up with it a proportion of water out of the mine, which is carried off, along with the water falling upon the wheel, by a channel contrived and cut for this pur- pose. One wheel will bring into action two of these talee ayers, which generally is sufficient ; but some of the larger mines, or those in particularly low situations^ may require two or three wheels to draw off the water sufHciently from the bottom of the mine where the ore is to be taken out. To form the necessary aqueducts for conveying the water to turn tlie wheel and to carry off the water brought up from the mine, and to discharge that of the former channel after pcrfonning its office, constitutes the laborious part of the mining operations. In some instances, I luwc scon channels constructed eleven Imndred yards in length. The ore fre- quently runs across or through a small rivulet, or through low ground subject to floodings : in such cases they are obliged to divert the course of the stream, or to raise what they call tubuts, or embank- ments, to prevent the waters rushing into the mine. These embankments are equally necessary, also, to confine the waters which may be required to give a stream of water cither for turning the . wheel or to wash the ore. These works having been aeceom- plishcd, as the necessities of the mine may requure. 227 requirOi the miners have no further diffi- culty in extending the exeavation and digging out the ore; of whieh having ccllcctcd a sufricicnt quantity, they de* posit it in a trench, or bunder, as they call it, lined at the bottom and at the sides with planks of wood or the bark of trees, over which a stream of water is made to pass, and, whilst the water is nmning over it, the miners, at their seve- ral stations, move the ore about with their manioties, or spades, which loosening the clay, all the earthy particles are carried down by the stream, and the ore, by its gravity, subsides at the bottom of the trench, whence it is taken out and dried, and afterwards carried to the furnace for smelting. In case the stratum in which the ore is found should be stony or gravelly, in washing the ore the miners use a basket, which they fill with the earth containing the ore, which, being opposed to the stream, and shaken, acts as a sieve, leaving the stones in the basket to be thrown out. The Coolit minesi equally with those of the Coolong, require the trench and stream of water for washing the ore, and need all the labours and precautions for securing a body of water, in case the situations of them do not afford a sufficient collection from the occasional rains. Although the Coolong mines are so much more laborious, intricate, and tardy in yielding their profits, compared with those of the Coolit, yet the ore from them being found in close veins, is so much more productive at the furnace, and so much larger in quantity, that the Coolong mmes are, if at all successful, so very be- neficial to thp miners, that they prefer the speculation of large profits to the smaller gains of the lesser mines. In opening a new mine of the Coolong description, the miners expect a gratuity, or tiap, as they call it, from Government, to assist their expenses in the hire of la- bourers, in carrying on the preliminary works of their embankments and water- courses : according to the difTicultics which. 229 , which^ on inspection, I have observed they had to encounter^ I used, as an en- couragement to their undertaking, to ex- tend to them a grant of from one to three hundred dollars, which, as it was well merited, was always well bestowed, and Government were repaid by the satisfac- tion and spirit it inspired amidst their labours. The miners, in digging the excavations, have the following appellations for the different strata they pass through : 1st. Tcbwhey, the upper stratum, com- posed of decayed vegetable substances mixed with earth. 2d. Tobwhey-sangsoi, the second stra- tum, composed of a mixture of sand and tobwhey. 3d, Pekkd,. white clay, which sometimes forms the second stratum. From the ap- pearance of this stratum their expecta- tions are formed of the quantity of the ore: if blueish white, they anticipate abundance ; if cadaverous, or fine white, they expect vciy little. Q 3 Below Belo^ pekkd comes sand of the fol* lowing characteristics: sangsoi^ coarse sand; meesoi^ fine sand; junkkeh^ a mixture of sancj and white clay. Then follows towchansoi, the vein of ore. Below towchansoi there sometimes follow pekkc* and junkd^ and a second vein of ore, called takkangsoi, which is the richest. In their works of the mines^ cheecha is the water-wheel ; chcekow the channel of water that turns the wheel ; chungkow the channel that carries oflF the water ; pee- tow, or the Malayan name tubut, the dam or embankment to retain the water; choonchweekoo, the embankment to divert , the stream from the mine; swakow or bundur, the trench in which the ore is dcr posited for washing. In the district of Toobooallie particu- larly, the native population have been accustomed, when finding a vein of ore not very deep, to dig a hole, and then scrape the ore out under ground, to the extent they found it practicable to cany on 231 on such plan of operation, in their* simple manner, which the Malayese, in describe ing, call working like rats. Tlie ground about Toobooallie has been very much undermined in this way, as also that at Rangaw, above Kuppo. The mines of Jeboos, Klabat, and Soongy-Booloo are, many of them. Coo- longs. The principal mines of Jeboos are called Soongy-Tango, Tynam, Soentek, or Soongy-Boolak, and Siam Ingmi, each of which gives employment to thirty mi- ners and upwards, who hold the mine, besides occasional labourers, which the miners frequently employ on daily hire, to ' expedite and ease their work. At Soon- gy-Boolak, the miners fell upon a vein of ore they call cho, three feet and a half deep, which is considered to be particu- larly rich, and which was found imbedded in a whitish yellow clay. The mines of Soonie and Singliing, of Klabat, are also two veiy large and pro- ductive mines, each of them worked by upwards of thirty miners. Tlie exami- Q 4 nation nation 'of these two mines would convey to tlio spectator a perfect conception of the works I have before mentioned. At the mine of Singlung, during my first inspection of that mine, the miners had excavated a Coolong eighty fathoms long, twenty-five broad, and three fa- thoms and a lialf deep, from which they had taken ore suflicicnt for tliirty nights' smelting, or upwards of six hundred pe- culs of tin. In the eastern districts, the mine of Kimsa, within a mile and a half of Ma- rawang, is the largest, and employs about thirty miners. This mine is very pro- ft ductive. With rare exceptions, the ore may be said to run m horizontal strata from W. to £., at a depth not exceeding six fathoms, most commonly between tliree and four. Sometimes the stratum will incline a little, but this is always consi- dered a case of difiiculty. I have only heard of one instance, a mine in the neighbourhood of Blinjoe, where the ore had ass » had such inclination as to prevent the miners from pursuing it, their machinery not being adapted to draw up the water much beyond the depth of six fathoms. The ore is generally found intermixed witli a white mixture of sand and day, in small grains of a grey black colour^ and whichi after being washed at the furnace, yields not more than seventy pounds of tin from one hundred pounds of ore, nor less than in the proportion of thirty to one hundred; the usual proportion may be taken at sbcty to one hundred. If the ore yields less than twenty- five to one hun- dred, the mine is considered unprofitable, and is accordingly abandoned. The qua- lity of the charcoal used in the smelting of the ore will increase or decrease the proportion of metal produced from the ore. • The only peculiarity of the furnace is the bellows, or poopoot, which is made from the trunk of a large tree, hollowed out into a cylindrical foiin, into which a piston is inserted at each end. The pis- ton Ih formed of a circular base of wood, with valves which fit into the cylinder of the bellows. In the centre of this cir- cular base is fixed a long handlci by which the men work it, A piston being attached to each half of the cylinder, \/hilst one piston is drawing out by the two Chinese M'orking at one end, the two Chinese attached to the piston at the other end are pushing that in, by which* means a constant current of air is sup^^ plied to the funiaee: the bellows being placed horizontally at the back of the furnace. They begin to smelt about six o'clock in the evening, and by the next morning each furnace will have smelted forty slabs, or twenty pcculs of tin, the estimated quantity of a night's smelting at a large furnace. The smaller furnaces will smelt from ten to fifteen pcculs. The dross which remains is considered the perquisite of the toocan poopoot, or smelter, who afterwards obtains from it a small quantity more of the metal: but the 235 the miners generally look Bharp, to allow of as little dross as possible. Each slab weighs half a pecul, or sixty^-seven En* glish pounds. The Orang Goonoongs, in smelting their ore, have a row of three or four small wooden bellows and pistons placed per* pcndicularly, and applied to small furnaces, which smelt from ten to twenty of their slabs, which weigli one-tliird of a pecul each. The accounts annexed to Appendix No. X, of the collections of tin, on the island of Banca for the Honourable East-India Company, for the years 1813, 1814, 1816 and 18 IG, will afford full demonstration of the value of this island with regard to its metallic produce. During the last four- teen months included in this period, the daily expectation of the cessation of our interests on the island necessarily para- lyzed all efforts of further extension of the mines, which, if attempted, would only have involved public expense, without prospect of public benefit. An account U also annexed, comprising the years 1814, 1815, and 1816, shewing the charges of administration of the island of Banca for those years, with the sums derived from the sales of tin, the profits from the sales of stores and merchandize, and the revenues, with the net profits ac- cruing to the public from this possession durhig those successive periods. More conclusive evidence cannot be ad- duced of the intrinsic value of this beauti- ful island, which would, by the enlarge- uicnt of its population, the extension of industiy , cultivation and trade, have given yearly additional proofs of increased im- portance, and progressive benefit to the parent state. The position of this island, also, lying in the direct track of our China trade ; the fine harbour it possesses m Klabat Bay, where, in case of necessity, during war, our ships could find security and protec- tion, and bo placed in a situation im- pervious to any attack ; will present considerations to attach strong political importance 237 importance to this possession^ independent of every advantage to be derived from commerce or revenue. Tliis is the island which we have de- livered in exchange for Codling on the Malabar Coast : a settlement which^ wider the existing circumstances of our empire in India, is of trivial political importance, and, as it appears from Sir T. S. Raffles* History of Java, that the Dutch Govern- ment had, at one period, contemplated to ' abandon their settlement of Cochin, as entailing a burthcnsome expense, without yielding any adequate advantages to tlieir commerce; the acquisition of this pos- session, with respect to revenue or com- merce, is placed in great disparity, as an equivalent for the sovereignty of Banca. ■I APPENDIX. <^,\ ^ APPENDIX. No. I. (/ Pence, FHenthhlp, and AlUmwe% entered into between the Rksidknt of Palrmbanq and Banca, on the Part of the Java Govbrnmbnt, and the SuLTAUN of Palkmuano, Maumood Badr«al« Dken. Article I* III tho first pluce, the Siiltaun Malw mood Badr-al-Deen acknowledgCM the impropriety of his conduct last year towards the Java Governtnent^ and declares that what he did was occasioned by the false information and bud advice of persons, M'ho mis* represented to liin) tlie views and Intention of tha Eni(Ush Government in cominijto Pulembang. Ho now humbly recpiests to be forgiven for those unfor- tunate proceedings, and to be restored to tho go* vernment of Palembang; promising, in future, to conduct himself in all things with fidelity and re* spect, as a sovereign dependent of the Honourable East-India Company and the Government of Java. II. The Sultaun solemnly denies having ordered or having been any way privy to the murder of the late Dutch Factory, and agrees, on condition of his 240 life being ipared, to give up his eldest son, the Pan- gcrang Ratoo, who was suspected of being Instru- mental in that unpardonable transaction^ to the dis* crctlon of the Java Government. He further agrees to deliver up to Government^ unconditionally! any other persons who may hereafter be found to have been guilty of that murder. III. TIic Resident, on the part of the Govern- ment, consents to pardon the Sultaun Mahmood Badr-al-Dccn, and to receive him bacic into their favour and protection as Sultaun of Palembang, pro- vided the reigning Sultaun also agrees to it, on the following conditions. IV. Tlic Sultaun shall send one of his sons, to- gether with two of his principal officers, to Batavia, to do homage to the Java Government. V. On nccotuit of the expenses of the expedition sent last year against him, the Sultaun agrees to pay to the Government the sum of four hundred thousand Spanish dollars ; whereof two hundred thousand shall ^ be paid down, and the rest in the time of two years, cither in produce, at the price agreed upon with the Resident, or in money. VI. The Sultaun agrees to supply the Government yearly with fifteen thousand peculs of pepper, at the rate of three Spanish dollars per pecul of one hun- driMl and twenty-five Dutch pounds, to be delivered into store at Minto, or on board such vessels as may be sent for it at the mouth of the Palembang river; and whatever quantity of pepper and cotton he may be able to collect this year in the country, he will pro- cure t 241 cure and deliver, without delay, to Govemikient, in diminution of the sum of two hundred thousand dol- lars remaining to be paid. VII. The Sultaun promises to cause the old fort of the Dutch Factory at Palcmbang to be rebuilt of ma- sonry, with as little delay as possible, accordi^ig to the plan thereof that will be furnished him by the Resident, or ebe to pay the sum of twenty thousand Spanish dollars and furnish coolies for the Govern- ment to build it; the Resident agreeing, incase the Sultaun undertakes the work, to give any assistance of the people and means at his disposal in getting it completed. VIII. Whatever opium may be required for con- . sumption in the territory of Palembang, the Sultauu agrees to purchase of the Java Government at the current price of that article at Palembang; provided^ however, that the price is never to be less than eleven hundred Spanish dollars for each chest. IX. The Sultaun 'promises a general pardon to all his subjects, high and low, of every class and denomination. That no violence or injustice shall he done to any person on his return to Palembang; and that he will henceforth rule his people with equity and moderation, according to the laws. X. The cession of the islands of Banca and Billiton to the Honourable East-India Company is hereby con- i firmed; and the Sultaun engages, if the Java Govern- ment should place those islands under the government of his brother, the Sultaun Najm-al-Deen, that he > and all his followers, and whoever may choose to ac- K company ! 242 oompany hliUi shall be allowed to go unmolested, and tlie SuUaun will render to him every assistance and encouragement consistent with the truest friend* ship. XI. If the Government should deem It advisable io open a communication from Palembang with Ben* coolcn or the Lampoong country, the Sultaun en- gages to render every aid and assistance in his power in furtherance of this object. XII. This treaty of peace, friendship, and alliance, made with the free will and sincerity of both parties, shall be observed, to the true intent and meaning of its several provisions, for the mutual benefit of the Sultaun of Pulcnibang and the Honourable East- India Companyi and be regarded as a memorial of peace and amity for ever. Done at Mararawos, on Tuesday, the 29th day of Juno 1813. {Duljjf signed.) Additional Articles of Treaty^ to be formed into one, urith those agreed upon at Mararawas^ on the Ae- ttim of the old Sultaun to Paletnbang. I. The Sultaun Najm-al-Deen to have the country called the Ogati, instead of Bdnca, with the title and respect of Sultaun of Ogan, and to live In the small palace called the Pungerang Ratoos. II. The Kesident agrees to pay the Sultaun Nf\|m- al-Deen, to set himself up as Sultaun of Ogan, and to 243 to pay debit eontracted, the lum of twenty thouBand Spanish dollar!) and the Sultaun Badr-al-Deen is to repay the Resident this sum. In consideration of his ushig his endeavours with the Government of Java So procure for the Sultaun Badr-al-Deen the Banca contract Intended to have been given to his brother. IIL The opium farm at Palendbang to continue at sold for the rest of the year. IV. The Sultaun Nujni-al-Dcen to be allowed to trade freely In every thinji excepting what is farmed out. V. Tlio slaves which the Sultuun Badr-al-Decn left behindi and are now distributed amongst hit family y are not to bo ta1<;cn bacic by liim; and hia Pangerangs and Mantriesi elevated to sucli rank by the Sultaun N(\jm-a1-l)cen, are still to retain thdr ranic and titles. VI. Tlic Resident having required that the Sultaun Najm-al-Decn should be declared successor to the throne of Palcmbang^ the Sultaun Badr-al-Decn promises to leave that point to the decision of the Java Government; and any other minor points not understood hereafter to be referred to Government, and decided by their arbitration. Signed and sealed at Mararawas. R 2 • 244 No. IL tt- Trk.\ty bstween the Bnolish GovKRNiiBNf and the SULTAUN RatOO AhMUO NaJM-AL-DsKN. " Article I. The tixaty formerly concluded between tlio Hotiourublc English Eaxt-India Company aiid the Sultaun Ratoo Ahmud Nnjm-al-Deon^ at the time of hia elevation to the throne of Palembangi is hereby confirmed, in ko far as h stipulated in Articles the first, thirdi fourthi and seventh of that treaty j all other articles therein contained being declared void, and are hereby annulled, II. The Snitaun Ahmud Najm-al-Deen, engages to open a road of communication with Bencoolen and the Lampoong country, whenever the English East- India Company may wish it. III, The Sultaun engages to deliver whatever pro- duce of his country may be required by the English J!!a.st-India Company, at proper and reasonable prices. IV, The Honourable English East-India Company having engaged to protect and assist the deposed Sultaun Mahmood Rndr-al-Dcen, the Sultaun Ahmud Najm-aUDeen engages to make such provision for him as may be arranged by the Political Agenti with the sanction of the Commissioners acting under powers from the English Government. V. The Snitaun engages to grant to the Honour- able English East-India Company whatever spot of ground may be selected by the English Resident for the erection of u fort and factory. VI. The. ^ * VI. The Sultaun engages iio<: to ereet any fortlfica- . tions, without giving previous notice and obtaining the sanction of the Resident. Signed, sealed, and delivered at Palembang, on the 3d day of tlie moon Ramazan 1228, or 21st August 1813. (Signed) (Signed) Political Agbnt. Sultaun Najm-al-Dxbn. Pancsrang Prabo Anum. Panqrrang Adapattir. Panqkrang Aria Kasuma. PxplandtoTff of the Fourth Artkh. • The Sultaun engages, in fulfilment of the stipular* lions provided by Article IV, to provide two coyangs of rice montlily to the deposed Sultaun ; and further, one hundred men as rowers, and two hundred for work \ but this number of men is not to be considered a daily allowance, but only for particular and urgent occasions. The Sultaun further engages to grant a spot of ground to the deposed Sultaun, for the purpose ot catching buflfaloes. If miy dispute sliall arise between the Sultaun^ Ratoo Ahmud Najm-al-Deen and the deposed Sul- taun, the Sultaun engages to submit the question to the British Resident, and to abide by his decision. Approved, and signed by the Commissioners.^ r3 No. III. Nama ^ DoosumSi siiimier {f Campoomos* 4^. (f ^ DUtria compmed under the Head tf Amak Mooaii. MMMt of DdMttA u4 N«. ikf No. of AiWMl DtllmlM !• tktMtHi SiiMMt. C*iii|iooii|t. Mta, of |i»l«mUu|. BooDiet Kockeen. • • • • • 40 400 P«pper 10,000 guntungi, ddlvf r* cd on pAyment. 'fribute 100 doUirt. BoongMKttlioiet ••••», 17 100 Pepper 10,000 gvntOBgi» ddlTOw cd 00 p«ymenu Dttlam Kalloiee Soewt- raSekap ••... I 12 Sooogee Dcleetee Doo* •un Klteo ••«.•••••• 14 24 Pepper. 10,000 gootoogi on paj* uicnt. Trilmte 6,000 gnntongt Paddj. Sooogef Lakeettn Doo> •unLoboPAodin •••• 5 32 8oongeoIUwM...,»«.« 84 400 Treten 1|000 dollara In pi^fOMnl offirloattrtldei. Sooogee Roopeet Aotk lUwu •••••••••••• 11 200 Dellfen in pjiyment 10,000 gon- tongi Pepper. 60,000 plecci of * Ouniblc OolooIUwM,. •••••.»• -* -* TVIbttte 5,000 pieces of Gomblr» •li dollirf weight of gold duat^ SoongeoKroo •••••••• 6 60 Rice, dellrera Ttrlbute 10,000 of Paddy. Sooogee Pnnnkal •••••• 12 60 Rice, dellvera Tribute 2,000 gun* tooga of Paddy. 8oongee Abub •.•••••#•— 43 Ddl? era Tribute 10,000 gnntonga of Paddy. Soongee Batung Uko ,,2 12 Sooogee AwerDoortOf* 8 8 Tribute 600 gnntonga of Paddy and 20 dollars. 247 Na IV. NmMi ^ DooBUirs, %wmhtr o/CAUTOorKO%, and ^^nf^i^ ffMEVp reearded on the PaUmbang Booh at ronderUig Jkudd Servkeip in the District of Moosii. Uwmm of OooMiM. fiSpBiMnt. Uwif A<^*"^ Dtllftfteilo IIm MIsmi, Riutoo Bayoor Sck&p • • 1 f Tribute 1»600 |ttnloii|t of Paddf Kamng PrecokSek&p •• I 6 Tklok Kefclieeof • I 4 Trlbttttl|6a0|ttiitongi of Paddy. TunbooD Toolaog •••• I -* Leemoo Nepti Sekap dft> . lUD I ft < D&ooCballa I 6 Tribotc 1,500 gttntoogi of Paddj. Booajra Laogo Sek&p •• I SO Lirop&ian Sck&p dalam 4 4ft Fuiarvckan •••• I 9 P&wa 1 9 THbttIo 1,000 fontoogi of Piddf* Rtocoo panjaog 1 6 THbolo 1,200 gvntoogi of Paddf • K&rangwaroo •• I 10 THbote 2,000 guntoogi of Paddy. UwangWceUn 9 100 Ttrlbute 10,000 guntongt of Paddy. Paojooog Pekayoo •••• 8 100 Maogoolak 7 100 Tribute 10,000 gttutongt of Paddy. Moorarawu •# 1 ft Moora lakutan Sok&p ••9 84 Semaogoi Sck&p ..•••• 4 ftO Pooloo Panggooog ••••16 100 Tribute 10,000 guntoagi of Paddy. TanJoogJatee., •• ••• 6 100 Tribute 10,000 guatongt of Paddy. Paibooan Biugat ft — In payment 10,000 guntonge of Pepper. TuOong raya ampat la* wang,;,,,, •••16 20 Tribute 40 dollan. LaotangK&nan. •••••„ 8 20 Tribute 40 dollin. Lantaog Keeree. •..,••• f SO Tribute 40 dollan. TkdaJeeo. •••••••«•,• 16 20 Tribute 40 dollan. Mandaoor..,i.,o.... 11 100 Tribute 14,000 guntongi of Paddy r4 248 No. V- Aecouni ^ Pooiuvi, numbtt of CAicroovoi« and iff Miw f$ndm$ig feudal Siroka in lk$ Diifrki •/ I^amatako, a Branch tfik$ Rher Moo9e0. Soonghft Rooccen •••• 1 12 TriboteS|900|aetoii|« of Piddy%' \ Dauo Tmnping 11$ Soodet Mam.. ••••«•#• 14 DttQoRaio... ••••••••• 1 9 AQipm Petoolee 10 72 Trlbnte2i,200pnlon|t of Paddy* Mofxlooog. ••..••••••• 1 3 Barooktu* •••••••••*•• 1* 30 Tribate 10^000 ganiotigt of Paddy* Lingee •• 1 40 Tribute 10,000 guntongi of Paddy*. Bunokat ••• 1 40 Tribute 10>000guntongi of Paddy, Paiiaiifteeratt., 1 *10 Tribute 4 »000 guutong» of Paddy^ * Oolak Bundong , 1 9 Tribute 4,000 guntonga of Paddy* OrJaiigMaaa,. •••••••• 9 SO Tribute 7,700 guotonga of Paddy* KadooogAgooQf ••*••• 9 30 Tribute 5,700 gunton|i of Paddy, Mooraycneem •*•••••• 1 30 Tribute 5,800 guutoogs of Paddy* Locbok Amplu 1 9 Tribute 4,000 guotoogi of Paddy* Marapee • • * * • * 13 70 Tribute 10,000 guutongt of Paddy, and 10,000 guotoogi of Pepprr * delirered on payment. Anpat Sekoo •*•*•••• 9 100 AmpM Loewah*. •**•*• 70 900 Tribnte 16,000 guntoogi of Paddy and 1,240 bnudlea of Rameo or Tbread. SooDgeeAyeneem.**^ *• 19 60 Tribute 12,000 guntongi of Paddy. PaoaogDelapanPoolo.* 4 90 Tribute 10,000 guotoogiof Paddy* SanungOrobal ••••*.•• 16 150 Tribute 30 ,000gttntoogf of Paddy. 249 No. VI. ■ - Aueuni of Doo%mnt number efCAHTOOVOM^ and ^Mnu rendering/eudal Services, in the Jjistrid of OoAlH. 1lMMA«ri>«Miiii». ciiiipoM|*.^t«f IMIvtrlMtotlMtMllami. Kuevnuif Jabo 3 40 • Tribate 4,000 guiitongt of Paddy, Kocwiuig Dalaoi .••••• 3 40 Tribuie 4,000 gootougt of P^ddy. Tluijoof Kam&lo ,..,,• 9 23 Tribate 5,000 goaiuiifit of Paddy. KiMUtohaa S«ka|i 4 73 Tribote 20,000 KoiiluiiRt of Paddy; Doorcrii...... 4 80 Tribute 3,000 gun tongi of Paddy. Ban6 Ayoo 1 8 Tribute 1 ,400 guntongi of Paddy. Bandoong Uiaghecf..., 7 100 KaroDg Agooog I 9 Tribute 1 ,000 goutoiigi of Paddy. Samccd&ng Laoon Dooa 9 70 Tribute 4,120 guittongt of Paddy. THmpagooogan...... • 16 100 Tribute 20,500 guntongauf Paddy. S&uia Kareeo 16 100 Tribute 30,000 guntongt of Paildy^ and 1,000 guntongt of Rice. D^tang AJee • 8 100 Tribute 20,000 guotongi of Paddy, L&yoo dau Pand^a Doolang S^kap.,.. 3 S3 Langkayop Dooaye Ra* yup ••• 6 80 Od payueul ZftW gvotongt of Pepper. Pamalootan ••4* — Jligaw&ueh Publeh d^- lam 1 7 S&kateega Publeh da« lam 3 ' — ' Weenjayce ..••.....•. 150 Parwateen • 5 300 Tribute 35»000 guntongt oCPMldy. I>epateeSoogeeW&raa«« 6 635 Sar&peeilg 1 34 See ra pooloo Pndaog •• 1 150 • CoDipritci tba gardtat and parttoular domain of -Iba Sultaun nl Palcmbang, 250 Kiiiuuig(preterfeforftth)l 40 BtuiigHarte •••••••• 1 9 TM^Jong K&loDg PMbhh .1 8 Lebok Deling (preMnrt forflih) 1 14 pAdaug SooDgce Booo- geen •• • 1 20 tVilmtt 5^000 gmitoogt of Paddy. AyerPooteeh. ••••••••• 1 80 TdlMito2|000 g«BtoBg«ofPiiddy« PoolahN&poh 1 30 Recdeeng Rambee 2 40 lUnibeeAycrEetaoi.*.* 1 14 Kayoo AgooDgSanayoo. 9 151 . .*. 1 « • 251 No. VII. Atcomd ff DootuKt, mamber tf CAMPOOVOt, muf ^ Mnr remkring Jiudal Scrotcct, in the DUirid qf HMMZAHfO OoAir. *■ » w^ 1l».«r lltt.«C Fr*- lMlftflMtotlMlaltaMi«f itmmmm tiuMUW. ^^i^^oo^ft. MM* 4ttC«« IPiltsbuiC* CUikcel 1 RanbABg Aapit Stkoo. 6 RoBbaiig K4p^ Tcogili 6 RembaiigNeeroo •••••• 3 ReBbang Kooitcpao... 1 RemUnit Loobceli ..•• 3 20 Rloe IVIbate 5^00 goatoost of Paddf. 70 Rke. THbate 10,000 goatOQgt of Paddy. 60 Rke. Tribute 10»000gaatoogi of Paddj. SO Rice. IVIbute 5,000 guntonga of Paddf. SO Klce. Tribute a,000 giintooga of Paddj. 50 Rice. Tribute 10,000 guDtonga of Paddj. $252 Not VIII. Account ^Poo9Virfi number ^CAMPOovof , ^ o/* Msy T$nicring JeuM Servkei in the J)iMtrid of Banyo^ AfftBBN. N«neto(OoM«ii«. ^SS^'']}!i!^f Odimkt t6 tht Solttwi. pAOgeallan Balee 2 800 Tribate92/K)0gttatongfl of Paddy. Loopat • • 1 10 Tribnte 2»000 gunlonga of Paddy.' Jerecng •• ..••• I 15 Tribute 3,000 gunlungt of Paddy. B&bat.. 1- a Tribute 1,900 gttiitongf of Paddy; Lataug . • • • , • \ 8 Tribute 1,600 gunlonga uf Paddy, Langkan • 2 - 30 Tribute 6,000 gunloogt of Paddy. B&leck Dookit 9 34 Tribute 6,800 guntongt of Paddy. Larmok 1 11 Tribute 2,800 guntouga of Pa«ldy . Kur&pcct 1 6 Tribute 1,200 guntoogs of Paddy. 253 wfMOKirt ^ DooacM*, member ^Cauw rtttdmngfeadtd Sfreica, in Ike Didria T*d]ooo( Buno . . CoODDUg Uuuo. . . ItoDfah MiirMog . . BooDicc Rinjoonf , Ooouoong Tec|> . . , A}eeS< Nrtnt KurMj^cu. . NjiiIlcnUbKD ,V Ruaibcr Niicw| BoonKM A|noif ZooU^Bawiai ..•■.. flalamUnnn W]rc DctN KoU BttM. . 254 KouBoenet,,* • PoolooDatoe • Btmltr Dntani • IStndceiig lUtoe NagaraAfooa ••.»••«.•«. Pakoowan*. »«•»•.•• v^*^ GadaoBg Agooof Teewa Ralik Bandar Maseen. ••••• •• IMiaiBttaif inuM Wjcv Aflipoo* « < • • ' . . 255 No.X. DsKO OF Cbssion o/f Ae Islandi qfBMCA and Biixnim . to Gr«at Britain, lyferrtd to in page 00, Whereas I, the Sultaun Ratoo Ahmed Nijm-al- Deen, have taken possession of the throne and sovereignty of the Palcmbang country, the abode of peace, with the utmost gratitude acknowledging the great favour and regard of the Sovereign Lords of Java, who have elevated me to the throne of this country; and in confidence that the said Lords wil' pay me yearly as many dollars as may suffice for my want and expenses, I do cede unto the most excellent and most powerful King of England, and to the English Company, the islands of Banca and BiUiton, together with the small islands and dcpen« dcncies thereof, on condition of the great and power- Ad King and English Company, having made me, my children, and my grand cliildrcn, from genera« tion to generation, free and independent, unto the end of time. Tlie islands above-named, with the mines and every thing belonging thereto, together with all the inhabitants of every rank now living on Banca, as well as those in time to come, are hereby placed under the sovereign controul of the lords aforesaid, and they will render the same ho- mage unto the said lords as they have been used to do to tlie Sultauns of Palcmbang. Further, I have promised to protect the wives and the children of rhe people of Banca who may bo 25G be living in this country, and not to permit any peition to do them any injustice, or to molest them in their persons or property; but they shall be free to return to Banca, whepever they are called by their Iiusbands. In witness and in confirmation of this treaty seals and signatures are affixed, with the seal and signa* t\ire of myself, the seai and signature of my eldest son, and the seal and signature of the chief Pange- rang. Written in Palembangf on the 5th day of the moon Junmdal-ahwnl, on Sunday, in the year 1227. Dranscript of the Dkkd of Cbssion of the Islands of Banca and Billiton to the King o/ Great Britain and the English East-India Company. Baliwa addleh pddakd suree Sultaun Ratoo Ah- med Najui-al-Decn yang mem-punii-i Takhta ka« ri^a-an Nigree Palembang dar-al-salaam dengan * suka-iti mahi-ran mengtfkooee ma-kisih sAyang tudn tudn yang mcngooskan ka-raja-an Nigree Jawa yang siida niendroh-kan kita de-dtas Takhta ka-rajd- an Nigree Ini dan kama perchdya kita dcree pada tuun t\ian yang ter-sebnt membdyer rt^al tiop tiop tduu yang boli*h sampeo balanja kita idng ka-koorang- an dan menldrakan kapacia Suree miiha-maiia Malia* rnjd Nigree England dan Company Engroes, Pooloo Pooloo Bangka dan Blitong serta Pooloo Pooioo ke* clioel yang talook-nia Jadee sabernia betool yang ampoonia n 257 ampooDla yalut Maha-rf\)4 ' dan Company Engreei Ung tcrsebut itu dan It<* IIU. .IV. r«t. 888 61 6,911 88 1,459 46 3,612. 161 3,152 80| 2,498 91i 625 44 19.149 3C| Ci«)1rci)oni hntn lit Jan. io9Utl)«e. Tt* Cat* 1,302 I 8,529 59 1,606 5 4,673 32 4,708 61} 3,079 40} 1,291 41 25,190 40 Collf(t\oi«t fH>in lit Jan, lotfl l)cc. Vti rftt4 1,035 83} 9,117 88 1,610 24 4,029 6} 6,009 21 3,444 5} 1,406 48 26,670 76} IVcttlti CattiM« Ttotal of all Colleciloiii, hom the lit January 1813 to ibt 2d December 1616 , 78,309 61{ * The cMltciloni of 1816 ar* Included onlf to the 9d December of tbat year, the date of transfer of the Island to tba Nctherlandi' Goreromcut. t Delivered tbli year at Jeboos. .,259 •9' a" ft sh nil ik "s>:S i : ■■ ■■{' ?5 ?1 S 1 .1 I i ^ f t •< s "s." a 3^1 „ s : II } f I l!ll 1 If ** It