NEGRI SEMBILAN
(The value of the dollar is 2s. 4d.)
(A pikul is 133 pounds av.)
GEOGRAPHY, INCLUDING CLIMATE AND HISTORY
The State of Negri Sembilan, the smallest of the Federated Malay States, lies on the West Coast of the Malay Peninsula to the south of the States of Selangor and Pahang. It is in fact a federation of "Nine States", consisting of the four major States of Sungei Ujong, Jelebu, Johol and Rembau, and the five minor States of Ulu Muar, Jempul, Terachi, Gunong Pasir and Inas. Sungei Ujong is mentioned in a Javanese poem in 1365 A.D., as being subject to the Javanese Empire of Majapahit. In the 15th century it was ruled by Chiefs of the old kingdom of Malacca. Most of the Malay inhabitants of the States are descended from immigrants from Menangkabau in Sumatra, and have an interesting exogamous, tribal and matriarchal social organisation.
This immigration appears to have begun in the 16th century. The original Malay federation seems to have consisted of Sungei Ujong, Klang (now in Selangor), Jelebu, Rembau, Naning (now in Malacca), Segamat (now in Johore), Pasir Besar (now in Johore, its place having been taken by Johol), Johol, (now Inas) and Ulu Pahang (now partly in the Temerloh District of Pahang). After the capture of Portuguese by the Dutch and Johore Malays in 1641 A.D., Johore took a leading part in Negri Sembilan politics until 1773 A.D., when the Undang or Chiefs of the present four major States invited a Sumatra prince Raja Melewar, ancestor of the present Yang Di-Pertuan Besar to preside over the federation.
talacca from the
In 1874 the Dato' Klana, Undang of Sungei Ujong, the most important of the nine States invited the assistance of the British Government to maintain his rule, and a British Resident was appointed.
In 1883, Jelebu applied for a British Officer, and Rembau agreed to refer all its disputes to the British Government, and in 1887 accepted a British Adviser.
In 1889, the Yang Di-Pertuan of Sri Menanti who no longer effectively presided over the whole of Negri Sembilan, the Rulers of Tampin (a small principality which had come into existence to the east of Rembau) and Rembau asked for a Resident and agreed to a confederation known as "The Old Negri Sembilan". In 1895, the Resident of this con- federation took charge of Sungei Ujong and of Jelebu, and the modern Negri Sembi- lan was constituted. Finally in 1898, the Yang Di-pertuan of Sri Menanti was elected titular Ruler of the whole State.
The area of the State is approximately 2,580 square miles. It is bordered on the south by Malacca and Johore, on the north by Selangor, on the east by Pahang, and on the west by the Straits of Malacca.
The main mountain range of the Peninsula ends in Negri Sembilan, and the watershed between the East and West Coast in the southern part of the State is no- longer mountainous. The highest mountain is Telapak Burok (3,915 feet).
There are no large rivers, and the State does not suffer from disastrous floods which sometimes cause such great loss in the larger river valleys of Malaya.
The climate is hot, moist and equable. The shade temperature has but a small annual range, and averages 81°F. It seldom rises above 92° or falls below 68°.
The average monthly rainfall throughout the year was 7.18 inches, the highest re- corded being 14.73 inches at Tampin for the month of November, and the lowest 0.96 inches at Port Dickson in February.
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GOVERNMENT.
The supreme authority in the State is vested in the Yang Di-pertuan Besar and the Udang in Council.
The Council of the Yang Di-pertuan Besar and Undang which consisted of His Highness the Yang Di-pertuan Besar as President, the British Resident, the four Undang, or Ruling Chiefs of the four major divisions of Negri Sembilan, and the