PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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CO. 882
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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the Tunku of what had occurred at Qualla Jugra, and were then sent away with a caution.
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14. We afterwards learnt that " 'Geeling Sappang" were suspicious places, and the Tunku promised to have them visited on his return to Klang. We consider that it would be advisable for one of Her Majesty's gunboats to visit these places at no distant date. The people there are said to be the followers of Rajas Burkut and Mahmud, who have from the first refused to acknowledge the authority of Tunku Dia Udin as Viceroy of Salangore.
15. During the night Her Majesty's ship "Midge," which had remained at Langat while the Court was sitting, joined us off Tumboh. The presence of this vessel at Langat, added to the tact and good judgment of her Commander, Captain Grant, were of essential
assistance to us.
16. On the morning of the 18th we dropped further down the coast, and anchored off the Lukut River, which is held by Raja Bot under the sovereignty of the Sultan and his Viceroy. Raja Bot with a few followers came on board shortly after we had anchored. Tunku Dia Udin, accompanied by Captains Woollcombe and Grant, with ourselves, and a small armed force, went on shore. At the entrance to the river there is a look-out house and small stockade, and three miles further up, and commanding one of its reaches is a hill of about 100 feet high, on the crest of which the Raja's father (Raja Jumahat) had raised an earthen parapet; this has now almost fallen to ruin. At the foot of the hill, and about half a mile further inland, is the village where the Raja now lives in a well- built brick house. He appeared to have about 100 people around him, many of whom were Malacca-born Malays, with a few natives from the Malabar Coast of India. They seemed to be all peaceable and well disposed, and there was no trace of anything like a refuge for pirates. Raja Bot informed us that five months previous Raja Laut and others coming from Sunghie Ujong had attacked and plundered his village, murdering three of his followers, and that he was in daily expectation of further attacks from the same peopie. He asked the protection of the British Government.
17. A witness in the case of the piracy committed at the Cape Rachado Lighthouse, who landed with us, was given an opportunity of seeing the people of the village, but he failed to identify any as connected with that outrage. We returned to the "Thalia” at 4 P.M., and shortly after Tunku Dia Udin and suite, who, it was arranged, should proceed to Klang in Her Majesty's ship "Midge," went on board that vessel under a salute from Her Majesty's ship “Thalia." His Highness expressed himself to Captain Wooll- combe as greatly gratified with the reception that he had met with on board his vessel.
18. At daylight on the 19th we proceeded to Cape Rachado Lighthouse, and made inquiries in regard to the attack upon the lightkeeper and his lascars on the night of the 11th of January last. Obtaining all the information that was possible at this place, we went on to Qualla Lingie to continue the investigation. The conclusion at which we arrived was, that the attack was made by people from Langat, probably instigated by Rajas Laut and Mahmud, who, after the arrest of the Langat pirates in the Merib case, bad threatened to retaliate upon the Malacca people. We ascertained that about the time of the attack Raja Mahmud was at Sappang, as stated in the repert made by Raja Daud to the Police Corporal of Qualla Lingie, and that shortly afterwards Raja Mahroud went to Langat, where he is now reported to be.
19. We think it right to state that, with the exception of the Tindals, the lasoars at the lighthouse appeared to be drawn from men of a low class, and were mostly new to the duty.
20. The following morning, the 20th, we left Qualla Lingie and proceeded to Singapore, in company with Her Majesty's ship "Midge," which had rejoined us from Klang during the night, and arrived here this day.
The correspondence between us and the Sultan forms a portion of the Appendix to this Report.
21. Having now reported at length upon what has been done in connection with the suppression of piracy at Salangore, it may not be considered foreign to our duty briefly to bring to notice how far piracy appears to us to be fostered by the present political dînée of that territory.
22. We have had the opportunity of perusing the Honourable Mr. C. J. Irving's Memorandum relative to the affairs of Balangore in 1872, and of fully discussing the state of the country with the Viceroy, Raja Yacub, Raja Kabar, Raja Ismail, Raja Doraman, and Raja Bot, and the two Malay Chiefs in the confidence of the Sultan, vix, Datu Aru, and Punghulu Dagang. The result of our conversation has brought us to the opinion that until Rajas Mahdi, Mahmud, and Iaut, who are now harboured, if not encouraged, at Langat, are removed from the territory of Balangore, there will continue
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to be disturbances in that country and piracies along its coast, and in this opinion all the Rajas and Chiefs above named have expressed their concurrence.
There seems to be little hope, as far as we can ascertain, of the Viceroy coming to an amicable arrangement with any of these Rajas, except Mamud, who has lately made overtures for a reconciliation with him.
23. It would not be difficult to drive out these men, whose followers are now comparatively few, if the Sultan could be induced to remove from Langat, from whence most of the disturbances originate.
24. Tunku Dia Udin has taken the first step in this direction by inviting the Sultan and his family to reside at Klang, and Datu Aru has promised to use his influence to bring this about.
25. All the Rajas and Chiefs expressed a strong desire to have a British officer resident among them to advise and assist in the Government of the country, and we hear that application has already been made by Tunku Dia Udin for the appointment of such an officer. We may be permitted to state that it is our belief that the presence of a Commissioner would do more than anything else to restore peace to the country, and develop its mineral and other resources, which are very extensive.
26. Before closing our Report we desire to make known to the Government the ready assistance and co-operation we have received from Captain Woollcombe, and the officers and men of Her Majesty's ships "Thalia," "Rinaldo," "Midge,” and “ Avon," who were frequently employed on harassing night duties, and cheerfully and willingly performed them. To Captain Woollcombe we are especially indebted for much valuable advice, and for the admirable manner in which he planned and conducted all the arrange ments necessary for the efficient execution of our work, and which contributed not a little to its speedy termination.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Straits Settlements.
We have, &c. (Signed)
J. F. A. Mc NAIR. J. G. DAVIDSON.
Minute of the Proceedings of a Court held at Qualla Jugra, on the 13th day of February, 1874, to try, (1), Mah Tayron; (2), Mah Jadin; (3), Kassim; (4), Afusa; (5), Talib; (6), Eusop; (7), Brahim; and (8), Mat Allee; charged with plundering a boat belonging to Malacca, at or near Qualla Jugra, on or about the 16th day of November, 1873, and murdering eight men, being the crew and passengers of said boat.
THE Court is composed of His Highness Tunku Dia Udin, Viceroy of Salangore, and Datu Ara, Pungulu Dayang, of Langat, and See Ah Keng, three Commissioners specially appointed by His Highness the Sultan of Salangore. The Honourable Major McNair, and Mr. J. G. Davidson, Commissioners appointed by his Excellency the Governor, watched the proceedings.
Raja Yacub and Raja Kahar, sons of the Sultan, are present in Court. The prisoners are charged and plead severally not guilty.
Mat Syed, sworn, states-I live at Tranquerra, in Malacos, and am a seafaring man; I left Langat on 25th of the month of Possah in a naddy belonging to Malacca; there were three Chinese passengers, whose names I do not know, and six Malays belonging to the boat named Hadjee Doraman, who was the nacodah, Ah Kim, Tamb Itam, Memau, Mambi, and myself. The naddy was loaded with rattans; there were also boxes. There were 2,000 dollars on board belonging to Ah Kim, of Langat, and the nacodah. I assisted to bring the dollars on board the boat and the nacodab told me there were 2,000 dollars. We left Bandar Langat about 6 A.M.; we arrived here (the stockade at the Qualla) about 1 o'clock, and showed our pass to Arsat, who was in charge of the stockade. We went outside the river about a mile and anchored because the wind was against us. We anchored about 3 o'clock; the nacodah told us to rest, and we would mil at night. About 3 o'clock, the juragan called the crew to boil rice. We cooked rice, and about 8 o'clock I saw two boats coming out of this river. I asked the juragan what boats they were, and he said two friendly boats from the stockade. They pulled up near us, and Doraman called “apa kabar," and the boats replied "kabar baik." Doraman asked where they were going, and the reply was, they were going to fish. Muss (No. 4) replied from the boats. One of the boats came alongside, and Musa and three or four others came on board. The other boat came alongside on the other side. (There were about twenty men on the two boats.) They talked to Doraman. About 6 o'clock Doraman told us to bring the rice. When he was to begin eating shots were fired from
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