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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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SIB,

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Enclosure 1. in No. 144.

From MAJOR MCNAIR TO COLONIAL SECRETARY,

Kwalla Kangsa, January 5, 1876.

I HAVE the honour to forward the following report regarding the operations of the 4th instant, against the disaffected village of Kota Lama.

This village bas long been known to me, as well as to other officers employed from time to time in Perak, as a resort of freebooters and bad characters of

kind. The every late Mr. Birch was threatened there on one occasion, and complaints against the inha- bitants for crimes of violence have been frequent.

From the arrival of troops at Qualla Kangsa until lately the Kota Lama people have maintained a neutral attitude and have not been openly hostile.

Though satisfied that it would be necessary before leaving the country to make an example of this place, I had no desire to accelerate matters while affairs of more import ance were under consideration.

Recently, however, the conduct of the head men has been such as to require notice. A letter sent by my desire by the agent of the Raja Bandakass (the nominal ruler of the district and professedly well disposed towards the British Government) to Sri Lela Paduka and Kulup Abdulrahman, the head men of Kota Lama, asking for the services of 60 boatmen, met with no reply.

Kulup Abdulrahman is the man who threatened Mr. Birch; Sri Lela Paduka has been in recent communication with Ex-Sultan Ismail at his latest hiding place at Ulu Perak.

Disquieting rumours have been recently circulated in this neighbourhood which have been traced to certain bad characters (one of them an escaped murderer from the Penang gaol) under the protection of the head men of Kota Lama.

The effect of these rumours has been to cause extensive desertion among the Penang Malays employed on the field telegraph.

A man sent in search of these deserters was threatened at Kota Lama on the 1st instant.

It being under the contemplation of the Brigadier-General commanding the Larut Field Force to move a column up the country shortly in the direction taken by Ex-Sultan Ismail, it became my duty to draw attention to the state of the village of Kota Lama, which it was decided to disarm.

At 6 a.m. yesterday the disarming of the village was carried out by two parties from the Larut Field Force, moving up the right and left banks of the river respectively, that on the left bank being under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Cox, "the Buffs," and that on the right under Captain Young, 1st Goorkhas.

Brigadier-General Ross and staff proceeded up the river with a party of the Naval Brigade under Captain Garforth, R.N.

I accompanied the Bridadier-General in the Residency ateam cutter. Colonel Cox was accompanied by Mr. Maxwell, Deputy Commissioner, and Captain Young's party by Captain Speedy, Assistant Resident of Larut.

The houses on both banks of the river were searched for arms, the inhabitants on the right bank remaining at their houses and delivering up their arms at Captain Speedy' request.

Most of the houses on the left bank were found empty or were hastily vacated on the approach of the troops, armed men being seen to run away in two or three instances.

Colonel Cox's party made their way to the end of the "Campong" without meeting

any opposition, and then returned towards Qualla Kangsa.

with

I landed with the Brigadier-General at about the centre of the village after Colonel Cox's party had been through it on their way up. At a large house, which I believe was Kulup Abdulrahman, our email party was suddenly attacked and nearly surrounded by a party of Malays numbering probably from 50 to 60. Under cover of a brisk fire kept up by a body of men concealed in a patch of jungle close by, a number of the enemy dashed forward armed with spears and assailed those nearest to them. Goorkha who was wounded at my side by a spear was very gallantly assisted towards the river by a Malay of Mr. Maxwell's party from Province Wellesley. His name waJ "Wahid."

287

The quantity of arms taken in the village was considerable.

This fact and the circumstances since elicited by Mr. Maxwell, and detailed in his report annexed, sufficiently show the character of the village and the disposition of the

enemy.

The greater part of the village was destroyed by fire before the Brigadier-General gave orders for the troops to be withdrawn.

The Hon, the Colonial Secretary,

Singapore.

SIR,

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. F. A. McNair,

Acting Commissioner.

Qualla Kangsa, January 5, 1876.

I HAVE the honour to report, for the information of Government, the following details derived from native sources regarding the operations of the enemy at Kotah Lama on the 4th instant.

The account is necessarily imperfect as such a short time has clapsed since the engagement, but I believe the facts related to be substantially correct.

Sri Lela Paduka, one of the head men of Kota Lama, reached that place on the 3rd instant from Periang, having shortly before been with Ex-Sultan Ismail at the Ulu Perak.

Some intimation of the proposed movements of our force must have been given to the natives of that place, for when the troops proceeded there, the steps had (in many instances) been removed from the houses, the bridges across the ditches had been taken away, and the gateways in the fences had been closed up. Everything must have been done that could have been done at short notice to make the place defensible.

Kulup Abdul Rahman and his brother Che Kadir were with Sri Lela Paduka, the leaders of the attack on our troops. They purposely put most of the female relations of their men into one large house, intending that the screams of the women on the approach of our troops should be at once a signal and encouragement to their men (many of whom would not otherwise have fought) to rush forward.

Four men were killed in the attack, namely, Che Kadir, Whatib, Eurap Haji, and another. Two were wounded, viz., Sri Lela Paduka (in the leg) and another.

The former is said to have died of his wound, but I am not satisfied of the truth of this report.

It is said that a body of the enemy, about 20 in number, came down through the jungle parallel with the river when the troops where about to re-embark, but did not

venture to show themselves.

Insulting messages and threats were sent across the river on the morning of the 5th instant by the Malays on the left bank at Kota Lama to their countrymen on the right bank who had made no resistance to the order to disarm, and also to the Mantri's people at Jumuwan.

The enemy are reported to have retired to Kledang and thence to Poeh, where Sri Lelah Padukah has a house, and from which communication with the Perak River by Sungie Guggar is easy. They are said to be badly off for ammunition, and to be sending in different direction to obtain a supply.

SIB,

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For details as to the engagement I beg to refer you to the copy of Brigadier-General Ross's despatch, forwarded to his Excellency the Governor.

Colonel Cox's party arrived at the house where the attack had taken place without falling in with the enemy, and returned to camp (as did the party on the right bank) without having met any opposition.

I have, &c. (Signed) W. E. MAXWELL,

Deputy Commissioner.

Enclosure 2. in No. 144.

BRIGADIER-General Ross to General Colborne,

Camp, Qualla Kangsa, January 5, 1875.

I HAVE the honour to report that yesterday morning the force, as per margin, was taken by me for the purpose of disarming the village of Kota Lama, one and a half miles distant on the opposite side of the Perak River.

Taft bank neder Lieutenant Con, Royal Artillery, 13 mon, 1 gan: “ the Blafk," 30 man ; let Goorkhne, 25 mon.

Right bank under Captain Teang; "the Buth,”– 50 men 1 1st Goorkhas, 30 mon.

In these boats under Captain Garforth; & afloors and 29

血位。

This village in July last was visited by Mr. Birch, when the inhabitants came down

in considerable numbers, loading their arms and warning him not to come near. Having

no force with him he was obliged to withdraw.

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