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C.O. 882

3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

234

TRANSLATION.

From TUNEU ANTAH to the ASSISTANT Resident of Sunghy Ujong.

(After compliments.)

Date, Sunday, 1292.

This letter comes from us, the Sultan Antab, who is ruling over the nine countries, who is the great Sultan and possessed of many subjects, who is acute, artful, and wise, beg to deliver this letter to Captain Murray, who is in Sumjong and in friendship with Klana.

We inform Captain Murray that we have become Sultan; we received a letter from Captain Murray intimating that he wishes to have friendly relations with us; what shall happen; we are sorry, for the expression is only made with the tongue and not from the heart, inasmuch as he wants to be friends with the tongue but not with the heart, because he has made use of a name which does not belong to us in his letter.

Moreover we do not know the name of the Captain's country and nation and his descendants; further, he is in our country but under our brother Syed Abdulrahman's

government.

According to the letters which came to us from Sumjong, we recollect from former arrangements till now, Sumjong belonged to our brother, and now it appears there is another man; this is what makes us sorry, because our brother did not make us friends with the Captain, and our brother's signature (papers) is not with us. If there had been any document from our brother, Syed Abdulrahman, making plain that Captain Murray wanted to make.friends with us once, we should like it twice as much, even until death."

Moreover, three messengers from Captain Murray came before, in the month of Ramzam (October) bringing three letters, two for us and one for the Datu Muar. In these three letters no badness but only goodness was mentioned from the beginning to the end, and outside the letters also was good, as the peons who brought the letters said, and then the expressions were altered. This is why we sent this letter to the Captain to inquire into the causes and crimes of the Tirachee people towards the Captain.

They were beaten according to their crimes, and if there is any cause of offence, even small, you ought to inform us first, then we shall punish them according to their crimes, because the Tirachee men are our subjects and under our orders from former times till

now.

Moreover, on Wednesday at 8 a.m.. on the 27th Shawal (27th November) Captain accompanied by those people and came to attack Tirachee. Was Captain with them or not? But we did not believe men's words; the reason we did not believe is because Captain Murray is not a common man and nation, in our opinion, therefore he will not fight and make war against the common men, because the enemy are not equal with him, as for example:-A King fighting with a slave is not killed or wounded, and if Captain has been wounded and his blood falls on the ground, his wounds will be as if a wild animal had bitten him. And if the Tirschee men get wounded by the Captain, he will not get any good name.

This is what we inform Captain Murray, what is passed let it be passed, but do not let it be happened again. We should be a little polite, because a good man is always polite, and a bad man (common) without manners. We are the children of good people and Captain also the same. Politeness should be our garment.

True translation, 6th December 1875.

Enclosure 34. in No. 114.

From LIEUTENANT HINXMAN, Commanding Detachment, 1st Battalion 10th Regiment, to the BRIGADE MAJOR, Straits Settlement.

So,

Sunghie Ujong, December 3, 1875.

I HAVE the honour to report for the information of the Commandant, Straits Settlements, that Lieutenant Peyton and 22 rank and file, 1st Battalion 10th Foot, have this day joined the detachment under my command. The enemy are coming into Sunghie Ujong every day, and they are erecting stockades as they advance.

I have, &c. (Signed) H. C. HINIMAN,

1st Battalion 10th Regiment.

235

Enclosure 35. in No. 114.

From LIEUTENANT HINXMAN, Commanding Detachment, 1st Battalion 10th Regiment, to the BRIGADE MAJOR, Strait Settlements.

December 3, 1875.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to report, for the information of the Commandant, Straits Settle. ments, that yesterday at 5.30 p.m. I paraded a party consisting of Lieutenant Peyton, 1 serjeant, 30 rank and file, to march out and reconnoitre the village at Paroe, said to be in possession of the enemy who were reported to have erected a stockade. We reached the Resident's house at 6 am., halted for 15 minutes. The whole party now consisted of Captain Murray, Mr. Plunket, Lieutenant Hinxman, Lieutenant Peyton, Dr. Hoyated, 31 men 10th Regiment, 30 native police, and 6. Arabs, about two miles from Paroe. I halted and sent on Lieut. Peyton, one sergeant, four privates, and four policemen as scouts, when I judged they were about half a mile in front I advanced with the main body. We were now in a narrow jungle path when, about half a mile from Paroe, one of the scouts ran back and informed me the enemy were in front in force. I advanced steadily until I found Lieutenant Peyton and party, who were lying in ditch watching the enemy's movements. The Malays commenced to yell and opened fire. The path was so narrow and the jungle so thick I could not show any front. The enemy had a stockade about 150 yards off which completely commanded the path, and their bullets came unpleasantly close. We had been under fire about 10 minutes, when, to my utter astonishment, I saw large bodies of the enemy issue from the stockade. This convinced Lieutenant Peyton and myself that the Malays were in force, as from our experience we never knew them to quit their cover before. I now found we were outflanked, and as we were in a narrow path surrounded by jungle I gave the order to retire. The enemy followed us for about four miles and harassed our rear, which was gallantly defended by the Arabs. We reached our barracks at Rassa at 11 a.m. immediately set to work to strengthen and improve the fortification round the barracks. Lieutenant Peyton worked day and night and has now turned the men's quarters into a very strong redoubt.

I enclose a sketch of section of the works of front and rear face drawn by Lieutenant Peyton, A to B rear face, C to 1) front. Mr. Plunket and I bave tried in vain to persuade Captain Murray to come and live with us. My small force is greatly weakened by having to keep a guard at the Resident's house, which is in a very exposed position and two miles from our quarters. I do not like to have my detach. tnent divided, but I cannot leave the Resident without some men to guard him. The enemy have advanced within three miles of us and I expect an attack to-night. I have just been informed that the road to Lookut is unsafe, and that is our only line of retreat now. I am badly in want of ammunition and more provisions. My only chance is to stand a siege until reinforcements arrive.

We

Lieutenant Peyton has been at work all morning clearing jungle and making abattis as shown in sketch. Every hour our position becomes stronger.

I have laid in 10 days' provisions and filled all the old casks I can collect with water. Captain Murray has just come in and says he has driven a body of the enemy out of house that they had taken possession of. This house is only a quarter of a mile from the Klana's residence. The Resident attacked the Malays with his police, and brought one of the Klana's brass guns to bear on them, one lucky shot went right through the house and the enemy ran towards Paroe. I enclose a plan of our position. The red lines show our present field works.

Sia,

I have, &c. (Signed) H. C. HINIMAN, Lieutenant,

1st Battalion 10th Regiment.

Rasah, December 5, 1875.

Enclosure 36. in No. 114.

HON. C. B. PLUNKET to COLONIAL SECRETARY.

I HAVE the honour to inform you that yesterday I accompanied a party of troops under Captain Hinxman and Mr. Peyton, together with some police and Arabs under Captain Murray, some five or six miles up a narrow path, where we were stopped by a stockade in front of a village, the Malays coming out and firing upon us, and were obliged to retire.

Gg 2

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