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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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The
We rode to the foot of Bukit Putus, half an hour's walk from the stockades. road party of 20 men, all that remain of the Coolies engaged at Singapore, have done good service, the hills on which the stockades were constructed being now clear of jungle, and a road eight feet wide made through the pass; in a few weeks I hope to ride to Sri Menanti and back in one day.
10 men.
At 1 p.m. we arrived at Teratchee, where a police station is formed, one corporal and The lately appointed Datu was very active in getting the troops housed, and many natives, both men and women, brought offerings of cocoa-nuts and fruit for the men; they all seemed delighted to see us, no sulky deference, but the spontaneous expression of good will.
The Punghulu reported the country as perfectly quiet.
Police were at once despatched to call Datu Sultan and Tuanku Ahmat.
Sunday 30th. Datu Sultan came only, and we had a long conversation; the country scems to have settled down into its normal condition, with this exception, that most of the bad characters have either been captured or have disappeared. The Paddy crops are being gathered in by the women, young and old, the men quietly looking on, chewing beetle; the houses seem now to be all re-occupied.
The disarmament of the country is nearly completed, 36 iron guns and lelas and 198 muskets have been unearthed, besides a quantity of powder, in Sri Menanti and Moar, 9 guns and 150 muskets at Jompole. The muskets, almost all flint, have mostly been destroyed, the guns will be utilised in arming the police stations in course of construction.
The number of houses in Gunong Passir, Sri Menanti, Ulu Moar, and Qualla Pela are 1,124, in Jompole 769.
Datu Sultan reports the people of Jompole as well disposed towards the new order of things, and Rajah Lela, headman of Datu of Jompole, but against whom there seems to be no charge, is acting Punghulu at Qualla Jompole.
There is a small independent state, formerly belonging to Johole, named “Kupass." It joins on to Qualla Pela and Sri Menanti, the people of which are anxious to come under our protection, the chief is one Buginda Tan Mass, well-known by name to Mr. Plunket as a very bad character, he was one of the chief supporters of Datu Moar.
If he could be arrested, and the people received under our protection, it would be well.
Sent Mr. Skinner and coolies to Sri Menanti, Moar, and Gumati, to bring in guns collected by Datu Sultan. The same system is now in force in the States adjacent to Sungie Ujong as in Sungie Ujong itself,--no one allowed to carry arms without a
pass.
There is a difference between the late disturbances here and those in Perak, which I think has hardly been fully appreciated. The latter seems to have been a rising against the Residential system, and the general interference of the white man in native affairs.
In the former, the State to which a Resident had been accredited, remained quiet, and was invaded by a few badly armed Natives at the instigation of, or rather by the pressure put upon them by, Datus Moar, Jompole, and other evil-disposed persons, who feared that British influence would eventually deprive them of, what they consider their just rights, robbery and extortion.
The inhabitants in these States had no quarrel or ill-feeling either towards Sungie Ujong or its Resident; on the contrary, Sungie Ujong is the great and only market for their produce.
The people of Sri Menanti, Moar, and Teratchee, fighting at Paroe and Bukit Putus were very few; Jompole, containing a greater number of bad characters, supplied the greater number of fighting men.
In the afternoon Captain Channer and I explored some most lovely valleys running at right angles to the great valley. I can now understand why the Natives are so lazy and disinclined to work. Nature is so bountiful, that labour is unnecessary. Durians, mangosteens, mangoes, and rambostan in the greatest profusion. I measured some of the mangosteen trees, and found them 6 to 8 feet in circumference, and from 50 to 70 feet in height.
Monday, 31st. In the forenoon we destroyed a number of old muskets brought in from Sri Menanti, Moar, and Qualla Jompole.
Serjeant of Police in charge of Qualla Jompole Station came and reported all quiet. In the afternoon the force marched to Bandole, where we spent the night, and returned to Rassa next day.
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I cannot but congratulate his Excellency on the successful results which have been achieved by the late expedition into these States.
Sri Menanti, I trust, will ere long be a "pleasant resting place" for enterprising British planters, who reaily have almost as much claim to it as the majority of the late population; they were nearly all Sumatra men, who had come over here to escape from Dutch rule and civilisation.
Since writing the above I received a letter from Datu Sultan, saying that three Datus from Kupass had beene him to ask for British protection. Bugindah Tan Mass was not there, and they promised not to allow him back in the country.
I have, &c. (Signed)
SIR,
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Singapore.
Enclosure 3. in No. 82.
P. J. MURRAY, Acting Assistant Resident.
Captain MURRAY to COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Sungie Ujong, March 28, 1876. SINCE my last letter everything has remained quiet in the Native States. A report reached the Station at Qualla Jompole, that Datu Moar and others, with 200 followers, had constructed a strong stockade at Ulu Jompole.
Sergeant-major Mahmoot, with a force of police proceeded to the place, and found the report incorrect.
I have received several very friendly letters from the Yam Tuan of Jellaboo; he expresses his intention to visit Sungie Ujong, and also informs me that the people of Pahang are perfectly friendly to us.
Paki Boli came to see me a few days ago. He had been all round the country and
reports everything quiet.
I asked him if he had seen the Datu Klana; he said "No."
LE
Why don't you go?
" from no one but you."
I then asked him
He replied "What is the Datu Klana to me? I take orders
Several others have said the same thing to me, which seems to show that they are quite prepared to accept British rule,
Yesterday a Chinese coolie was executed for the murder of another coolie, Had there been been any extenuating circumstances, I should have recommended the Datu Klana to commute the sentence to imprisonment for life; but the case was too gross, and the feeling of the Chinese community too strong against him to admit of a recommendation
to mercy.
.
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Singapore,
SIR,
I have, &c. (Signed)
Enclosure 4. in No. 82.
P. J. MURRAY, Acting Assistant Resident,
Assistant RESIDENT, Sungie Ujong, to COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Sungie Ujong, April 5, 1876.
+
Ir is with much regret that I have again to report disturbances in the Native States to the eastward of Sungie Ujong, viz., Uhu Moar, Sri Menanti, and Jompole.
At 8 am. on the 31st March, a messenger arrived from Teratchee, with intelligence that that station, held by a force of 17 police, had been attacked during the night, and requesting a further supply of ammunition.
I immediately collected all the available police, and at 9.30 a.m. started for Teratchee, having previously acquainted the officer commanding the troops at Rassa, and requested the assistance of a rocket party. I also intimated that, if he considered it necessary, a detachment of troops might prove useful.
tell.
On ascending the pass of Bukit Putus, our party encountered numerous_refugees seeking protection in Sungie Ujong territory, all of whom had some exaggerated story to
Even the Javanese road makers on Bukit Putus took alarm and decamped.
P
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