PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE,
LONDON
258
ship "Charybdis," in order that I might, if possible, counteract their evil influence by a personal interview with the two Datus and their adherents, whom I invited to meet
me.
9. The "Charybdis," in company with Her Majesty's ship "Avon," reached Qualla Lingie on the 2nd May, but Datu Perba declined to come to the rendezvous, where I found the Datu Klana and his Headmen; but Datu Perba had, through the Lieutenant- Governor, written to say that he was suffering from severe sickness, and was too ill to
move.
10. Anxious to exhaust all methods of conciliation, the more so as I was credibly informed that the Datu Perba himself was most desirous to see me, but was prevented by his advisers, who had detained him from coming under the excuse of sickness, I again wrote to him, warning him against taking the advice of men whose interests were not his or those of his country; and in order that he might have time to recover, I post- poned the interview until the 5th of May, and named Sempang as the rendezvous, that place being nearer to the Datu's residence at Bander, only some six hours' journey from it.
11. The next day, however, received an answer from him, courteously worded indeed, but still declining an interview on the plea of ill-health, adding that he was "ten thousand times more anxious to meet me than I to meet him," and, at the same time, denying indirectly any complicity with the lawless acts committed in the stockades on on the left bank of the Lingie River.
12. Information was at the same time brought to me that he was not at all ill, but that he was being prevented by the men to whom I have alluded coming to me then, but that a very strong party existed who were in favour of a settlement, and who wished to get rid of these men who were the authors of the stockades.
13. The existence of these stockades had already caused serious injury to the trade of Malacca, for they were not only preventing the mineral wealth of the Interior from being brought to the coast, but were checking the transport of food up to the miners, amongst whom, consequently, the Klana of Sungie Ujong asserted a most uneasy feeling was springing up, from which he feared the recurrence of the tragedies of 1860.
14. He further accepted his responsibility under his treaty obligation for the free navigation of the Lingie River, but urged his inability to cope with the stockades at Bukit Tiga, though he felt assured that if these were destroyed he could free and keep free the rest of the river.
15. On this I determined to give him material support, and after consulting with Captain Smith, the Senior Naval Officer, I arranged to accompany the Klana's boats up the river, taking him in the steam-launch with myself, and followed at a short distance by the armed boats of the squadron, and left Sempang in this order at 1:30 AM. on the 4th instant,
16. At about 4.30 A.M., having been considerably delayed by the shoals and sand- banks with which the river abounds, we reached Bakit Tiga.
17. No opposition was offered to the passing of the Datu Klana's boats, and on landing it was found that the stockades had been evacuated, but bore every sign of that evacuation having been very recent.
18. The stockade, although not so strongly built as some that I have seen in other native States, was, from its position, a very formidable one, and against Malays would be easy to hold, whilst it was admirably situated to command the traffic of the river.
19. It has been asserted that at one time this and other stockades, some 500 yards lower down, were garrisoned by 500 men, and that within three hours of our arrival it was held by 150 men, who had dispersed on our leaving the anchorage in the morning.
20. The same evening, after the destruction of the stockades by the desire of Klana of Sungie Ujong, who for the future will occupy the site as a police-station, the boats returned to Sempang.
21. That night I sent a messenger to Datu Parba, acquainting him that the stockades had been removed, and that I should be glad to confer with him; this, how- ever, he still but courteously declined to do, alleging ill-health as his excuse, and feeling
• Her Majesty's Ship “Charybdis
12
"Avon"
Colonial steamer" Pluto" Police
..
Total -
::::
:
Officers,
Men.
10
68
4
35
19
25
17
140
157
259
that the pressure brought to bear upon him by his Chiefs was too powerful to lead me to hope for any result, at any rate at present. I left the river on 7th May, reaching Singapore this morning.
22. I have every reason to believe that no one was more glad to hear of the removal of the stockades than the Datu Perba himself, but that he cannot at once shake off the adventurers whom he had to employ when fighting against his rival, and who had fallen back on these stockades, whence they plundered passing traders.
23. As soon as it was known that the river was clear, several large boats had come down which I had stopped in passing us, and their captains or owners examined. A copy of their statements I forward herewith, from which your Lordship will at once perceive that the stockade at Bukit Tiga was in short nothing but a stronghold of pirates.
24. On the general question of our future relations with Sungie Ujong, Rumbow, and Johole, I will again address your Lordship when the subject is more fully matured.
I have, &c. (Signed) A. CLARKE
Inclosure in No. 91.
Statements of Native Traders.
At 9:30 A.M. on 6th May, a fleet of native trading boats with tin from Sunghie Ujong was seen coming down the river.
On being brought to an anchor their nacodahs or masters were all sent for on board the "Pluto," and each was examined separately by Mr. Braddell, the Attorney- General, an to his knowledge and experience of the recent stoppage of traffic in the Linghie River.
lat Witness.-Ibrahim, one of the Datu Klana's suite, was examined by Mr. Braddell, the Attorney-General, and stated that he knew that trading boats have been detained for periods varying from one to three months for fear of the stockade at Bukit Tiga. Until about eighteen months ago no tax was levied on passing traders. I consider this tax not a legal one but a robbery.
2nd Witness.-Jaffa, owner of a scochi No. 48, of Malacca, 8 coyans, numbered in 1878, is separately examined and states: I went up a fortnight ago with 10 tons of rice and had to pay at Bukit Tiga 5 or 6 gautangs. If I had not paid this my boat would have been detained, and if I had attempted to pass the stockade would have been fired on.
I have now 70 barrels of tin on board for which I should have had to pay a toll of 10 dollars at Bukit Tiga. Some boats have been up the river for three months for objecting to pay this toll. I should have paid and passed on. boata that have been detained up the river on account of the duty that they knew they I know of several would have to pay at Bukit Tiga. Some detained from one to three months. The Bukit Tiga people never went up the river to look for the boats. Until about eigthteen months ago no toll was levied at Bukit Tiga. Boats from Permatung Pasair passed to Malacca without paying any duty. It is not a duty, it is a robber's tax that was levied at the stockade.
3rd Witness.-Abdul Hadji, master of a scochi belonging to Datu Mooda, of Lingie, is examined and states:--I came down to-day because we knew that you were here. If his Excellency had not been here, I should have been afraid to come on account of the stockade at Bukit Tiga. The stockade has been there for more than a year, and has levied tolls on all passing boats, 2 or 3 dollars per charra of tin at the upper stockade, and 2 or 3 dollars at the lower atockade just below Bukit Tiga. The stockade at Bukit Tiga was under Hadji Mahmat, and the lower one Datu Dagan. If the tax was not paid the boat was fired on and the crew krissed if they still refused. regular robber's tax. The Government of the country has its customs, but this is not an established custom but is robbery. I have 600 slabs of tin on board.
It is a
4th Witness.---Maaris, a British born subject of Malacca, master of two scochin, states:-I am master of scochi No. 57, 3 coyana, and No. 69, 51 cayans, of Malacca, both numbered in 1873, on board of one there are 250 slabs of tin, on board the other 400. I have been detained two months at Sunghie jong on account of the stockade at Bukit Tiga, but hearing that the stockade had been destroyed I ventured down. I paid a forced contribution of 20 gautangs per coyan of rice on my way up the river, and if I had not paid would have been fired on. mo and krissed the crew. I paid 10 gautangs at each of the two stockades. Both If I had still refused they would have boarded stockades were provided with guns as well as with muskets, and were both under Hadji Mahmat. The lower one had Datu Dagan in it. Hadji Mahmat is under the
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference
ग ग ग ग ग गा -
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO