PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
سلسسلسلا
C.O.
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Larut
Bilenelog.
Penang
146
Nakoda met Aris on the mainland, received us very cordially, and was unmistakeably in favour of the new order of things. He has just returned from a visit to Penang, and was very anxious for a new path to be cut through the jungle between the rivers Dinding and Perak (at Blanja), and altogether seemed perfectly reconciled to the wood, &c., on the mainland, as well as the island, being farmed in Penang, trusting of course that the revenue he loses will be made good to him.
We did not reach our ship till 8 P.M., and she proceeded at once to Larut. Next morning, the 2nd March, started at 6:30 A.M., and reached Tanjong Kertang, The tide formerly known as the second stockade, where the deep water ends, at 10 A.M. was falling, so we left the launch here. Since last year it has grown into a regular port; we found 8 junks, 2 Malay schooners, and 2 small steamers, one of them the "Kedab," with police and Sikh guards to the number of 130 for Mr. Birch. I was surprised to find the road by which we went on to the town (Permatang) last year is now impassable, but it is soon to be repaired. We had to go on in the cutter, and when we arrived at Perma tang, there was some difficulty in getting a gharry. The harbour-master, Mr. Pietersen, helped us, and we eventually reached Captain Speedy's new house in Thaipeng at about 1 P.M. The road up to it has been thoroughly repaired and metalled, and except in the part near the town, is now in very good order; it has also been continued for a few miles towards the last opened mines, making a good road of about ten miles altogether. The pay well. distance even to Thaipeng proved too far for our pony. I fancy a coach would The new Residency-house, in which we were hospitably entertained till the following day, is very roomy and comfortable, and what with the numerous European officers and the new Government building and police stations, Larut strikes one as being by far the most civilized place in the Malay States. It has already fathered a strong local feeling, no At present, it certainly has the little jealousy being exhibited towards “Perak basar.” best of the comparison, as far as its revenues go. The previous month they had exceeded 1,000 dollars a day. We were still more impressed with the resources of the place, on visiting Kamuntung (the Sih Kwan mine), and seeing for ourselves how they work the tin, on which four-fifths of the revenue is raised. Captain Speedy mounted our party on three strong ponies from the Government stables, and we reached the mines about 8.30 A.M. The miners are supposed to work till 9 A.M., but they had already stopped, and were proceeding to ainuse themselves eating, smoking, and gambling, till the afternoon-the laziest workmen I ever saw. One or two youngsters whom we took to be bathing were, it seems, still at work. They were up to their shoulders in a water-course ladling the gravel from the bottom and washing it for the tin contained. The soil was the mere leaving of previous washings, and yet these lads could wash, on an average, 16 cents worth of ore by day. That is to say, the few who chose to work during leisure hours could make an additional 5 dollars a month with the easiest sort of labour. We only saw two men actually employed. These Chinese seem to keep all their energy for their quarrels. The weather during our stay was considered unusually fine, though it certainly rained hard more than half the time. We waited till 1 P.M., partly in the hope of seeing Mr. Birch, who was expected to arrive that morning. Mr. Knaggs, of the Alma estate in Province Wellesley, was waiting for him, with the intention of accompanying him to Kungsor, to look out good tea and tobacco lands. Mr. Birch arrived the following day from the River Kurow, where Captain Speedy had sent six elephants to meet him.
Before leaving Larut, we visited the police court and found the proceedings were conducted as in our Settlements; "charges" (under the Penal Code) being duly entered and disposed of daily by Mr. Marples, the Magistrate. The warrants run in the name of His Highness the Sultan. There is a European officer of police in attendance. "Flogging" is a more frequent punishment than in our Courts, but until the new gaol is ready there is, to say the least, a strong additional reason for it in the want of prison accommodation.
We returned to Permatang (seven miles) in about three-quarters of an hour in We were unable to call on the Speedy's buggy, a pace hitherto unknown in these states. Mantri, as he was staying at his country house in Bukit Gantang, and Captain Wiseman was anxious to reach the ship that evening. We took the launch down the Sangkur branch of the river in order to call at Silensing. We reached it at 6 P.M., and tried to land in the gig. but the water was too shallow; so we got some of the inhabitants to come alongside in a sampan, and ascertained from them that all was quiet, and they had not been troubled lately by anyone. No police station has yet been erected. We then returned to Her Majesty's ship, and proceeded to Penang.
Captain Wiseman did not leave Penang till the evening of the 8th March. In the morning I had received a telegram to touch at Bruas and Klang. Tunku Koodin had invited us to come and see him in Klang on our way back, and Captain Wiseman had
147
already agreed to do so, the river being peculiar among Malay rivers for having no bar, so that the ship herself could enter.
But the Braus was quite the reverse, and as our launch had been made over to Colonel Anson, there was every prospect of a long pull for the gig.
Fortunately, on the following morning, 9th March, when close to the month of the Juru Mas, a steam launch appeared, returning from Perak to Larut. Mr. Birch had Ja Man, chartered it as "a troop ship." The Chinese on board formed a most remarkable crew, no one in particular being either captain or engineer. But they agreed to tow the boat into the river. This proved to be the Juru Mas, Her Majesty's ship having had to anchor about ten miles off, where it was difficult to distinguish the coast. About a mile up it I saw the branch river S. Tinggi, where a police station was to be established on the following day. It is a fine deep river, but at half-tide the bar had so little water that the gig could scarcely enter.
On the 10th March left the ship at 3 a.. to get the high tide in, as the bay to the north of Pulo Tallang is a mere mud flat at low water. Reached the new Bruas Station B at about 6:30 A.M. It is situated about three miles up the actual river on the south bank. Mr. Siddons of Penang was in charge with five Malays and seven Tikles. Half the force was about to start for Juru Mas to open the police station in S. Tinggi.
Both these rivers are almost uninhabited, and the object of these stations is to prevent tin being smuggled out from Ulu Perak, which, owing to the northerly direction of the Perak River, is not more than a day's journey from the head of these rivers. The tin is brought across on elephants, and is supposed to belong to the ex-Sultan and his party. Twenty-four slabs had already been seized, and the S. Tinggi expedition was expected to secure twenty-five bahras shortly.
The tide was already running out fast, and we had to make haste back before the channel ran dry.
We reached the ship at 8.30 A.M., and being off the Sambilans in the afternoon, Captain Wiseman took the opportunity to fire his quarterly ammunition.
Next morning, 11th March, went up the Klang River, having first picked up Mr. Swettenham's launch outside, which Captain Wiseman had kindly offered to tow to Singapore for repairs.
Her Majesty's ship anchored about eight miles up the river, three miles below the King. town. We called on Tunku Koodin in his house on the fortified hill over the river, and Messrs. Davidson and Swettenham who were at Klang on business came in while we were there, also Tunku Ismail and Syed Zin. The Tanka invited us in the kindest way to stay with him, but Captain Wiseman was anxious to get back; so, after seeing the present Residency, which is small bat well situated, and the Custom-house, we returned to the ship.
The place has evidently not yet recovered from the troubles it has undergone ever since 1867; and especially since 1872, when the mines fell again into Mahdi's hands. He never attacked the town, but like Permatang in Larut, it is entirely dependent on the mines, and seems to have gone utterly to ruin. Several of the roads previously used are still overgrown, and the Malay quarter is situated on a hill, which is always done for security, being very much against their natural taste. The revenues are now recovering, but not so fast as in Larut. About 10,000 or 12,000 dollars, a month is collected. It is at a disadvantage in the distance of the mines, but the Resident is planning a cart-track to them from Damasara, a short distance up the river.
As Syed Zin observed, the Klang people have so often been deceived when they thought all was quiet, that it takes them longer to recover confidence: but he and every- body else there appeared very hopeful now.
Mr. Swettenham was preparing to return to Langat, and Captain Wiseman took him to the mouth of the Jugra. Mr. Swettenham told us that he and Mr. Davidson were about to explore the interior of the country between Ulu Langat and Ulu Salangor, in which he has already obtained some useful specimens of gutta, &c., which have been forwarded to the Chamber of Commerce.
Her Majesty's ship "Lapwing" reached Malacca the following evening, and returned to Singapore on the 13th March.
I ought not to close this account without adverting to what struck me even more than the material improvements and changes-I mean the altered manner of the Malays, whether Rajahs or ryota, towards Europeans. There was no more of the running away and hiding, or of the anxious faces and nervous manners I have always been accustomed to in out-of-the-way places; and none of the chiefs I saw assumed what was formerly their usual tone, a sort of arrogant and sulky bearing. At Berman there was least civility, but even there it was curious to see how hearty Tunku Undut, who has stayed a good
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TELCO.
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
T┬ ། ། ། །
kukimbil
C.O.
Reference --
882
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO