PUBLIC RECORD
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replied, we can give him poison. We can put poison in the river. Then Raja Makota said, if we poison the river all our people will die. The Laxamana said, if you think So, we will put poison in his food, and we must try and get someone in whom there is some confidence to do it. Abdulla said, the man whom I can trust to do this work is Hadjee Oosein, who is constantly visiting Mr. Birch, and can go in and out of the house when he likes. Laxamana said, where is Hadjee Oosein now? Abdulla said, Hadjee Oosein
has
gone to Penang to buy diamonds. The Laxamana said, it is very true, Hadjee Oosein is friendly with us and friendly with Mr. Birch, but he is a Pulo l'enang man, and if we get into trouble he will go to l'enang, and then what will become of us ? Abdulla said, if that is the case better leave him alone, this is a very troublesome matter, and we must plot another plan. Then all the chiefs said to Abdulla, if that be the case better go up the river to Passeir Panjang, and combine with Maha Raja Lelah, Datoh Sagor, and the Timkoo of the Oolon. Abdulla said, that is the best plan, because there are too many people belonging to "the Company," and many traders here. The chiefs said, very good. Five days after we commence the Puassah we will go up. The Laxamana said,
very good, we must get our boats ready. The Laxamana said to Abdulla, shall we meet you here or at our landing-place Abdalla said, better wait at your landing-places, and the Toh Bandai will come with me. They then bad some tea and cakes, and the meeting broke up.
About ten days after this, I went down to Kotah Seteah where I had been gent employed as a tindal in building a police station, and made a full report of what I
August
Syed'a
ment.
had seen.
On the seventh day of the Bulan Saban, Abdulla went up the river with twelve boats belonging to himself and followers, viz. :—
5 boats belonging to Abdulla, and seven boats belonging to his followers, viz. :—
I boat belonging to Panjang.
1 do.
do.
Seeman.
}
do.
do.
Omur.
1
do.
do.
Ahmin.
↓ do.
do.
Assan.
do.
do.
Omur the 2nd.
do.
1 do.
do. do.
Chintura, and
Raja Driss, from Kampar Kinta.
All these boats had arms, guns, and lelahs concealed underneath, with mats, pillows, and things over them. We stopped at Sunghy Doorian, and Abdulla sent for Raja Maha Kota, and said to him, bring a lot of arms, spears, lelahs, &c. Raja Mahakotu said, very good, and put a lot of arms into two boats, and covered them with other articles, and joined us.
We then crossed from Doorian Sebatang to a place called Sunghy Renaik, and then Abdulla sent Laxamana with his compliments to the Datoh Bundar, and asked him to come down. After a while they arrived and met Abdulla in his boat, and Abdulla said we all can go up the river together. The Laxamana said, very well. Abdulla said to him, you had better bring your arms with you, such as guns, lelahs, &c. The Laxamana said, very good, and returned to his house. He then loaded two boats with guns, muskets, lelahs, and spears, and we all went up the river and stopped at Bandar Lama, where Abdulla sent for Orang Kyab Mat Arshat. Abdulla asked him if he was ready. He said, yes go up first, and I will follow. Abdulla said, take care and bring all your arms with you, muskets and lelabs. Orang Kyah Mat Arshad said, what is the use of bringing arms? He said, no matter, there is a reason for it; bring them with you, and we will arrange matters at Passein Panjang. We then all went up the river, and stopped at Passein Panjang.
Abdulla then went on shore to the house of Raja Kechee Muda, and returned a little wbile after with Raja Keechee Muda and his son Raja Mahamoot.
Bahru.
Abdulla said, now I have come, what house is there that I can remain in. Raja Keechee Muda said, you can stop in my house, or any place you like. The Laxamana said, there is no necessity of us removing from our boats. Abdulla then said, we had better send for Maha Rajah Lelah and Datoh Sagor. We waited at Passein Pajang two days, during which time two women named Samelah and Sahawah ran away to Bandar I myself went along with See Lamat, and called Maha Raja Lelah and Tob Sagor. Maha Raja Lelah said he was unwell, he could not come. The Datoh Sagor returned with us to the boat. The Datoh Sagor said we had better go up to Campong Gaja to see Maha Raja Lelah who is sick, so we all started next morning to Campong Gajah, the Raja Keechee Muda and Raja Mahomed accompanied us, each in a separate boat. We then went up to Campong Gajah and stopped at the back of the floating bath of Datoh Sagor. While there Abdulla sent me to call the Maha Rajah Lelah. He
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came down, and then Abdulla called all the chiefs into his boat, and said, now let us
The
arrange how to do this business. He said in a very polite way, "Here we all now, brothers, fathers, uncles, and friends, how are we to manage this our business?" Laxamana said, "be had better wait until the Governor had gone. He is now at Blanja." While at Campong, Gaja Nacodah Oolong had come down the river in a boat with seven men on his way to Bandar Bahru, and told us that the Governor and Mr. Birch were at Blanja, and had given the Sultan Ismail a letter. Then all the chiefs had a talk in the boat. Abdulla said to them, what do you all think? Had we better not wait until the Governor has gone away, and we can do our business? to which they agreed. Then all the chiefs left the Sultan's boat and returned to their boats. Two days after, Mr. Birch and the Governor arrived. The Governor stopped at Passeir Salah, and Mr. Birch came down in a small boat to see Abdulla, along with Cranee Mat Arshat. Mr. Birch got into the Sultan's boat, and spoke to him and said, when the Governor comes down here, he does not intend to stop here, but to go on straight to Bandar Bahru; and Abdulla and all the chiefs were to go down to Bandar Bahru to meet the Governor. Next morning the Governor passed by, and the Sultan and his followers followed.
When we arrived at Bandar Bahru the Sultan went and tuet the Governor, and Hadjee Oosein also arrived from Singapore. The Governor gave up the two women. About
6
p.m.
the same evening the Sultan Abdulla and all his chiets left Bandar Bahru and went up the river again to Campong Gaja. Next morning the chiefs had another meeting in Abdulla's boat: Abdulla said let us wait quietly until the Governor has gone and we can do the work, and Maha Raja Lelah will do the work. Lelah and Datu Sagor were there at this time.
Both the Maha Raja Abdulla then asked Maha Raja Lelah "how many men have you got?" he said, I could get one bundred men. where are the men? Maha Raja Lelah said the men are close by whenever wanted, I Abdalla said, can send for them, don't bother yourself about that, whenever wanted I will have them ready.
Maha Raja Lelah said, Sultan, you had better now go back to Batta Rabeit, because if any thing happens here while you are here you will get a bad name. thing he recommended him was to remove from Batta Rabeit to Kinta, taking with him Another ouly the lighter arins and hiding the heavier arms in the jungle, and, on pretence of opening up some new country at Bukit Pakan, to go up to Kintah and join Sultan Ismeil there, saying "afterwards if we all can agree with Sultan Ismeil we will come down the river to Bandar Babru, and after taking possession of it then go down to Kota Seteah and make a stockade there."
The Datoh Laxamana said if we commence this work, and Mr. Birch is killed, perhaps there will be a worse disturbance, Abdulla said, there is nothing to fear, I have received letters from Pontaniak, Siam, and Quedah promising assistance against Mr. Birch's Government. The Laxamana said, if that be the case let us leave the business in the hands of the Datoh Sagor and Maha Raja Lelah, and let us go back to Batta Rabet. This secret is not to be revealed, either to any one of the country or to a stranger. Abdulla then took a cup, and put some ashes into it, and put some fire over it, and put some gum-benjamin, then Abdulla put both hands on the smoke, and said, let whoever reveal this secret be cursed for ever, then all the other Chiefs, viz, :-
The Laxamana,
The Mabaraja Lelah,
The Datu Sagor,
The Raja Makota,
The Chee Ahmin,
The Raja Driss,
The Raja Keechee Muda, (and his Son)}
Mahomed,
„The Rają Moosa
took the same oaths. I was at this time sitting in Abdulla's boat behind a yellow cloth screen, but I could see and hear what was going on, there was a lamp burning inside. After taken the oath, Kulop Mahrouse wrote two letters, and each of the chiefs put their signatures or marks to it, and these two papers were handed one to Datob Sagor and one to Maha Raja Lelah.
!
After that the Laxamane said we had better go back to Batta Rabeit. Abdulla said, no, we had better wait for two or three days until the Governor has gone to Singapore, and we will go down the river.
ند
Next morning Raja Muda Yusoof came down the river, together with Nacodah Oolang, along with a lawyer (Mr. Duke) und demanded #360 from Abdulla, Abdulla told him to wait two or three days at Datoh Sagor's house. He waited three days
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