PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PIC.O. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
204.
We are glad to get our friend's assurance that he is ready to perform his duty in this and matter, and we urge our friend to do everything in his power, after consultation wit Major Dunlop, to apprehend everyone concerned in the recent outrages.
Enclosure 24. in No. 113.
H.M.S. "Fly," November 29, 1875. Haji Ali states: I live at Bandar Lama, lower down the river than Bandar Bahru. My eldest wife lives there with my four children. I have two wives. The other lives at Ara Panjang, further up the river than Blanja. I have no children by her. I married her two years ago.
I paid $44 for her to Mah Sulony Tijah, the sister of Sri Maharajah Lela. She lives at Sayong. She is now at Sayong; at least, she was there when I left. She has some hill paddy fields (padi umah) there.
I first heard of Mr. Birch's death at Blanja. I was there on my way down the river from Ara Panjang to Bandar Lama. The Maharajah Lela sent the news.
He sent Mr. Birch's own boat up the river with the news. The men whom he sent in the boat belonged to Selah Pulo, a place a little higher up stream than Passir Salah. The men in charge of the boat were Che Panjang Adam and Kandah Pandah. They came to the Rajah's (Ismail's) balei (audience hall). I do not know the names of the boatmen, nor how many of them there were. The boat was not despatched by Maharajah Lela until two days after Mr. Birch's death. It arrived at Blanja on the afternoon of the third day. I was there in the Rajah's balei. The Orang Kaya Besar (Syed Mahmood), Sedika Rajah Panghina Bukit Gantang, Datoh Bander (Che Mat Syed), Toh Dews of Lambah, and Datoh Sindra Muda, were there. Haji Abdullah, of Padang (Moar), was also there. He is a Johore man, and had been constantly employed in going backwards and forwards between the Maharajah of Johore and Sultan Ismail. I went up the river by the order of the Laksamana and Sultan Abdullah to bring back Haji Mat Jassim (the son-in-law of the Laksamana), who had gone up the river to. Sultan Ismail to com plain that his stepmother, Haji Hawah, and Sultan Abdullah were detaining from him the property of his father, Haji Moosah, who died some time ago at Bata Rabit. They detained the property on the plea that the deceased was indebted to Sultan Abdullah, The latter and the Laksamana sent me to bring him back, and tell him that the property should be delivered up to him. I overtook Haji Mat Jassim at Sadong below Blanja. He had two boats. I had only one. We went on together to Blanja. He would not return straight, saying that as he had come so far he would go on and see Sultan Ismail. We were at Blanja for four or five days before Mr. Swettenham came up the river with the Proclamations. I saw and spoke to him. I went down to his boat. He asked to see Sultan Ismail, saying that he brought a letter from the Governor. Crani Haji Ismail (son of Haji Abdullah of Laroot) went to inquire at the Rajah's house, and returned saying that Ismail was asleep. Mr. Swettenham went on up the river, saying that he was going up to Qualla Kangsa. He left the letter with the Crani, and said he would call for an answer next day. He gave me some copies of the Proclamations, and then went up the river. I had been to Ara Panjang and back (to see my wife) in the interval between my arrival at Blanja and the arrival of Mr. Swettenham. Sultan Ismail had taken Haji Mat Ismail to see the tin mines at Anah Ayer Pulai. They started after I returned from Ara Panjang. They went on elephants (three). This was after Mr. Swettenham had passed up the river. They were away for one night only. The news of Mr. Birch's death reached Blanja on the same day that Mr. Swettenham came down the river again. The Maharajah Lela's messengers in Mr. Birch's boat came in the afternoon; Mr. Swettenham came down in the evening. Sultan Ismail was in his balei when the Maharajah's messengers arrived. Kandah Pandab and Che Panjang Adam entered. Che Panjang Adam said, "Tunku, Mr. Birch is dead. The Maharajah "Lela told us to present his boat to you." Sultan Ismail said, "I will not receive the "bont; take it back." He then asked why Maharajali Lela had killed Mr. Birch. Che Panjang Adam said, “ Mr. Birch went up with Proclamations. Crani Mat Arshad "posted them up, and they were torn down. They were put up again,, and torn down again. Crani Mat Arshad struck the man who tore them down, and the latter then "stabbed him." This was at a Chinese shop. I cannot remember the name of the man who was said to have stabbed Crani Mat Arshad. He was described as a man with clephantiasis, and suffering also from some skin disease. Che Panjang Adam said that Mr. Birch was speared whilst bathing at a priory built over the river. I do not know
44
203
the name of the man who was said to have speared Mr. Birch. His name was mentioned to Sultan Ismail, but I forget it. He was described as a relation of Pandah Undut, whe lives at Pasair Salah. Sultan Ismail refused to receive the boat. It was sent to him by the Maharajah, according to Malay custom, as much as to say, "These are the honour- "able fruits of my bravery, which I lay before my superior." The boat was brought empty. No arms or other plunder were brought. In declining to accept the boat Sultan Ismail said that he was not pleased at hearing of the murder of Mr. Birch, and that the Maharajah, having committed a crime, wanted to make him (Ismail) a participator in it. He told the men to take the boat back, and they did so the same day.
Q.-If this had been a trivial occurrence I could understand your forgetting the names of the principal actors in it. But being a serious crime, how is it that you cannot state the names of the persons who killed Mr. Birch and Mat Arshad ?
A-I did not take particular notice of the names. The person whose name I pre- served in my memory is the Maharajah Lels. The impression left on my mind was. that he was the person answerable. I looked on the others as his slaves, who did his bidding. They would not have dared to not without orders.
-According to that the Maharajah Lela also might not have dared to act without orders, that is, unless he was authorised to do so by the Sultan ?
4. As to that I cannot speak; but if he had had the approval of Sultan Ismail the latter would certainly have accepted the boat. From what I have seen of Perak, I look on the Chiefs as much stronger and more powerful than the Sultan.
The Maharajah Lela's men with Mr. Birch's boat had already gone down the river before Mr. Swettenham arrived at Blanja on his return journey. I called to him and beckoned to him to stop as he approached. I went on board his boat with Haji Mat Jassim as soon as he stopped. I asked him if he had heard the news. He said "No."
I then told him that Mr. Birch had been killed and that his boat had been brought up the river to Sultan Ismail. Mr. Swettenham said that he did not believe it, and his Chinese servant also said that it was a lie. I declared that it was true and that Mr. Swettenham might cut my throat if I was lying. He then began to believe it, and dressed and put on his revolver. Rajah Mahmood recommended him to go on down the river and not wait at Blanje. I had previously asked Mr. Swettenham whether he would like to see Sultan Ismail, and he told me to go on shore and tell the Sultan that he would like to see him. It was after I got on shore and had gone to the Sultan with this message that Rajab Mahmood recommended Mr. Swettenbam not to wait. I did not hear the message, but I was told afterwards about it. I took the message to Sultan Ismail who said that be would see Mr. Swettenham. I went back to the place where I had left the latter, but he had gone. Two of his men were left behind; they were afraid to go on down the river. One was Mat Etam and the other was Haji Mat Naor. They told me that Mr. Swettenham had gone down the river by the advice of Rajah Mahmood, I went back and told the Sultan, who said that he would have sent him with an escort, if necessary, and that it would not be his fault if anything happened to Mr. Swettenham on his way down the river.
Q-Why did you invite Mr. Swettenham to stop ?
-I did so simply to give him the news of what happened. I had been ordered by Mr. Birch always to keep him and Mr. Swettenham informed of anything that happened. I accordingly wanted to warn Mr. Swettenham. I had received presents from Mr. Birch repeatedly for my services to him in this respect. He paid me $50 when I went with him down the river at the time the Governor went through the country.
I went down the river the day after Mr. Swettenham went. Haji Mat Jassim and Kanda Jafar were with me. We had two boats. Kanda Jafar was with me. We stopped for one night at Junjong Batu at the Campong of Mahomed, the son of Talı Muda Latib. We did not stay at his house. We slept on hoard. Next day we want on and searched Bandar Lama in the evening. I wanted to stop at Bandar Bahru, but Haji Mat Jassim insisted upon pushing on. We went on the same night to Durian Sabatang and saw the Laksamana and Sultan Abdullah. I went to see them to state that I had fulfilled my mission, and had brought back Haji Mat Jassion.
I do not know what steps Sultan Ismail took on hearing of Mr. Birch's death. He sent no one down the river to my knowledge. He said he was going to write a letter to the Muntri of Laroot to tell him the news and ascertain what the latter thought about it. He spoke of sending Haji Abdullah with a message to the Governor. I don't know if he did so. No one had left when I went away.
Cc 3
Wuil......
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
།། ། ། ། །
C.O.
Reference:--
882
3
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-|
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO