CO882-(2-3) — Page 505

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TRITIC.O. 882

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

56

Klana had gone down to Lingie, and had given arms and ammunition to Hajee Mustapha, and ordered him to make disturbance, and now Hajee Mustapha is ready for war; that, all attempts to settle having failed, Hajee Mustapha being on the side of Sungie Ujong, the Rumbowe men cannot endure this any longer, and Government is asked to forbid its people from going any more into those districts, as he cannot be responsible for their safety.

Meeting of Chiefs.-On the 3rd September the Lieutenant-Governor reported the murder of three Chinese in Rumbowe, complaining of Datu Perba as usual for not giving assistance; announced that there is to be a meeting of Chiefs at Lingie, to discuss affairs on the river; and that the Datu Bandar has burnt all the stockades erected by Datu Perba,

On the 19th September the Lieutenant-Governor reported that Mr. Neubronner, who had gone to Lingie to attend the meeting of Chiefs, had returned, and said that, after much talking, no decision had been come to. At the same time the Lieutenent-Governor forwarded a letter from the Klana, complaining that Datu Perba had refused his invitation to go to Sungie Ujong (which invitation was equivalent to a recognition of his claim as the proper Punghulu of Rumbowe), and, consequently, nothing had been done. The Klapa's letter ends by saying that there are two Punghulus in Rumbowe, each with a party, and that he, being neutral, cannot interfere. The Lieutenant-Governor closes his letter by stating that the Rumbowe men had again erected stockades in the river, and that tin to the value of 300,000 dollars, the property of British merchants, was detained in consequence.

On the 23rd September the Lieutenant-Governor sent a report by the officer in charge of the police station at Lubu China that Datu Perba was to attack Hejee Mustapha on the 25th September, which was confirmed by a letter, 2nd October, stating that Datu Perba bad taken five houses.

Renewal of Exactions.- On the 1st October the Lieutenant-Governor sent a letter from the Datu Klana, that Datu Perba had recommenced his exactions on the river; that be, the Klana, bad warned him that he would attack his people in force, and that the Datu had retired; that, as to Bukit Tiga, he had not yet received any answer to his request that Government would stop the exactions there; and, as to Permatang Kumpus, he hoped the men there (Tuanku Kudin's men) would, as the Governor had said, remain as in a police station, and not interfere in the Klana's affairs with Rumbowe.

Boat with British Colours fired on.After this a number of letters were sent by the Lieutenant-Governor, all complaining of the levy of black mail at Bubit Tiga, and one reported that they bad fired into boats with the British colours flying, on which Mr. Watts was sent up to inquire. On the 6th November Mr. Watts reported that he had gone up and found Masihr (Hajee Mahmat) in charge as before, but the place was nearly dismantled, and had very few men; that Hajee Mahmat gave evasive answers, and said the traders only gave what they wished in the way of provisions; and that the boatmen, evidently detained at the place, were afraid to complain. The Hajee accounted for the firing on the boat by saying that he thought Hajee Mustapha was on board. Some guns were found loaded and trained on the river.

Arrival of Governor Sir A. Clarke.--Sir Andrew Clarke succeeded as Governor in the beginning of the month of November 1873, when matters were in the unsettled state above described.

In reading the correspondence from May 1872 till November 1873, with the light of subsequent events, a remark may, perhaps, be permitted that the complications from the Salangore side, which brought great difficulties to Sungie Ujong, and caused immense loss to British commerce, might have been avoided if a different line of policy had been adopted. After Sir Andrew Clarke's arrival there was a sort of lull, as if all parties were waiting to ace what the new Governor would do, and nothing occurred for some time requiring imme- diate attention.

Pretended cession of Rumbowe to Tuanku Hamid of Tampin-On the 22nd November the Lieutenant-Governor reported a correspondence in which Hajee Mustapha gave over Rumbowe to Tuanku Hamid of Tampin, son of the late Syed Sabhan and grandson of Kajah Alli, in letters which Tuanku Hamid brought to Malacca.

Answer of Rumbowe Chief.-These letters were sent to Datu Perba, for information as to the claims of Tuanku Hamid, and with a suggestion that if Datu Perba were to do as Hajce Mustapha had done, give up his claims, matters would be finally settled. Datu Perba wrote in reply that Tuanku lamid had no claim in Rumbowe; that the late Rajah Alli was the descendant of a Bugghese Rajah (Rajah Ahman, brother of Sultan Ibrahim of Salangore) and Tuanku Syed Sabban was the son of a Syed of Acheen, and became Rajah of Rumbowe in consequence of assisting Government in the Naning war, after which

57

Government agreed with the then Punghulu of Rumbowe to make Syed Sabban Rajah of Rumbowe; that Mr. Westerhout (Assistant Resident at Malacca) had come to Rumbowe and made Rajah Alli Rajah Besar, and Syed Sabban Rajah Muda; that about a year after this, Syed Sabban caused disturbance (referring to the exaction of duty at Sempang) and was turned out of Rumbowe, when he went into Malacca, where he had a pension; that he who became Rajah in Rumbowe was a Malay Rajah (Rajah Lingang Laut, fourth Menang- kabowe ruler) and the descendant of that Malay Rajah was Rajah Radin, and his descen- dants are four or five, now living; that, with reference to Hajee Mustapha's letter that Rajah Hamid had authority in Rumbowe, Hajee Mustapha had himself been turned out of Rumbowe, as he would not follow ancient customs, by which he was not eligible as Punghulu, and that he had been made Punghulu only by Sungie Ujong and Lingie people, and of the Rumbowe people he had only Datus Marabangsa, Bangea Ballang, and Samsura, who took his part because they were paid for it by Sungie Ujong and Lingie men; that now it appears that Tuanku Hamid is going to help Hajee Mustapha; and the writer hopes Government will not give its countenance to this, and, if Tuanku Hamid does interfere, the war will be carried into Tampin and Kru, which places are subject to Rumbowe.

The Lieutenant-Governor in his letter objects to this last statement, as he says Tampin and Kru were given by Mr. Ibbetson, then Governor, to Syed Sabban after the Naning war. There must be some misapprehension in this, as Tampin and Kru were never British territory, and the native account seems to be the more probable; that is, that after Rajah Alli and Syed Sabban were driven out of Sempang in 1836, they were allowed to remain in these small out-of-the-way districts on the borders of Rumbowe, where, on account of their high birth, they were not interfered with, more especially as Rajah Alli had a sort of connexion with Tampin.

Hajee Mustapha defeated.—On the 17th December, the Lieutenant-Governor sent a letter from Datu Perba and seventeen Rumbowe Chiefs, in which they state, after referring to the meeting on the 10th May with Tuanku Kudin in Mr. Watts' presence, and to the meeting with the Datu Klana on the 30th August, that they had attacked Hajee Mustapha, fought for several days, killed ten of his men, and burned sixty houses, and Hajee Mustapha had fled that the headmen had consulted together, that they had dismissed and replaced the three Datus who had followed Hajee Mustapha, and had declared Datu Perba to be Punghulu of Rumbowe. They then refer to the orders of the previous Governor, that he would arbitrate between them and Sungie Ujong about Sempang, and they ask that officers

may be sent to inquire and settle, or, if not, there will be disturbances which must affect Malacca.

Blackmail at Bukit Tiga.—On the 8th December the Lieutenant-Governor reported a letter froin the Datu Kiana, complaining of the Rumbowe men exacting blackmail at Bukit Tiga.

On the 17th December the Lieutenant-Governor forwarded a letter from the Datu Bandar, stating that he had sent agents to buy guns to protect the river above Permatang Passir; that his agents had been plundered at Bukit Tiga on their way down, and that he hopes Government will assist him.

These letters were laid before the Governor; but no information was available on which to act, as the late Governor had conducted the affairs personally. It was therefore necessary, in the first place, to arrange all the correspondence, which formed an immense mass, from which it was difficult to collect any useful result, and delay occurred, which was added to by the calls from Perak and Salangore.

Stoppage of trade by Hadjee Mustapha. On the 26th February, 1874, a report came in that a boat had been stopped on the Rumbowe branch of the river, near Lubu China. Mr. Issemonger was sent up to inquire, and found Hadjee Mustapha there with a few men and three small stockades. There were some boats detained, but, at Mr. Issemonger's request, they were released, and went down the river.

On the 1st of March Hadjec Mustapha wrote, informing Government of his intention to carry on the war, and asking for assistance. To this a reply was sent, that Government could not tolerate war on the frontier of Malacca, and still less that British subjects should take. part; that the Governor was engaged in inquiring into the whole state of affairs in Rumbowe, and reminded Hadjee Mustapha that a letter had already been forwarded to him to send down some of his people to Singapore, to assist in giving infor- mation.

Invitation to Chiefs to come to Singapore.-After the Governor's return from Langat on the 13th February, the affairs of the Lingie River, Sungie Ujong, and Rumbowo were brought to notice; but so little was known of the persons engaged, and their several claims and, rights, that it was judged proper, before taking up the question, to collect information,

[541]