CO882-(3-4) — Page 137

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.

882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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now will not listen to my advice Upon this Sultan Abdullah signed all the papers in the presence of Laxamana, Datu Bandar, Raja Dyang, and Raja Dris, but did not put the Chop to them, saying that the chop was under repair. After this he gave a promissory note to Kim Ching for $46,721 63 for money lent by Kim Ching during the disturbances

Hus promissory note was then backed by Mr. Birch. at Larout

We all then went on board the steam ship " Quedah" to Batarabit taking Abdullah with us. The Sultan went on store, he asked Kim Ching to go with him to see his house, Kim Ching at first said he would, afterwards he sent word he was not well, and begged to be excused, but would come on his way down, and from there Mr. Birch went on to Kota Lumut, and I remained there with Kim Cheng as Kim Ching was unwell, Mr. Birch going up in a boat to Bandar Bahru.

Next montang 25th July I brought Kim Ching to Bandar Bahru, and after breakfast Mr. Birch and Kim Ching both started down the river to Penang, and then to Singapore. After Mr. Birch went down the river, I heard that on the 18th July 1875 in my absence two men named Kulop Samat and Abdullah had attempted to stab Serjeant Mat Sahat at the Residency. Abdullah was one of Sultan Abdullah's men living at Teluk Mah Mallee about 300 yards from the Residency. The row took place about a woman who had run away from Kampong Pisang and was kept by Serjeant Mat Sabat, and Inspector Ladgis arrested one of them named Kulop Samat, and the other ran away. On the 28th July the Datu Saga came to the Residency, and Mr. Keyt told him he had orders from Mr. Birch for him to clear a path to Bukit Tonggal and put up a balai for the Governor who was going to visit the place. The Datu Saga said he would do nothing of the kind without orders from Sultan Abdullah.

On the 31st July I went to Batarabit, and asked Abdullah to give the necessary orders to Dam Saga, and he told me that he had already done so.

I returned to Bandar Bahru on the 1st August.

On the 8th August, Sunday evening, when Mr. Birch's boy, Kassim's, marriage to a woman from Bandar was being celebrated, one Haji Mat Dowd came and endeavoured to stop the mariage, the men spoke to Inspector Lagis about it and made some remark about Kassim deserving to be krissed if the marriage took place. Lagis got annoyed, and drove him off, and there was great difficulty to get the necessary witnesses to come forward and be present at the marriage.

Hadjee Alle however said he did not care and would attend at the Kundooree as a witness. We also got some Malay builders from Penang to be present and the marriage came off, very few of the Perak Malays attended.

Next day, on the 9th August, I went again to Batarabit to give the Sultan full particulars of the expected visit of the Governor, and ordered him to make arrangements

for it. I remained there till the 12th.

While there we had long talks together.

Abdullah complained principally about the difficulty of getting money from Mr. Birch; he also said, now the people are very much dissatisfied about the slaves running away and being protected by you. I would recommend you not to remain in the government services, perhaps the people will get ill-disposed with you, and you will get into trouble. So you had better leave the service. I said what shall I do ? How shall I get my livelihood? He said you can come and serve me. I said how are you going to pay me, seeing that you have no money, and that you have not settled my old claims if you wish anything of that kind write to his Excellency, and if he sanctions it, and you give me better pay, I will come.

He said very well, we will see by and bye, moreover, he said it is very difficult for me to see any gentleman here, I have no interpreter to speak through, and as you understand Malay very well, I would like to have you.

He also said, speaking of the marriage of Mr. Birch's boy Cassim, that in the Pangkore Treaty it was stated that the government would not interfere with the Malay customs. I said that is very true, but Cassim's future father-in-law consents to the marriage, and what have you to say about it ?

He said according to custom of Perak the people of Bandar are the Sultan's men, and if anything of that kind is going to take place they must get the Sultan's consent.. I said supposing the father does not give his consent, and you were to allow the marriage to take place, if the husband and wife disagreed hereafter, will you compensate either party, or support them ? he said Oh, no.

I said what do you take such an interest in the case for ? he said because Kooloop Mat Rouse wants to have her, and he is my clerk.

He also said to me, one of my men, Samat, is in the lock-up, charged with assaulting & policeman. He has come to me for protection, the case is all false. I said whether it is

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false or not you will have to give the man up, and the case will go before the Resident; he said very well.

On the 12th August, Mr. Birch returned from Singapore in the "Pluto" S.S., and touched at Batu Rabit, he sent for me and told me to hurry up the river. I asked him would he not stop to see the Sultan? he said, No, he always kept him waiting so long.

I went back to the Sultan, and he said, is not Mr. Birch coming to see me? I said, No, he has no time. He looked disappointed, and said, is he angry with me? I said, No. Shortly after I went up the river, and arrived at Bandar Bahru late at night.

On the 16th August, at night, the Sultan Abdullah's boat arrived, when Abdullah sent for me, and said he wanted to see Mr. Birch. Afterwards he sent another message for Mr. Birch to meet him in his own empty bahlai.

Mr. Birch refused to comply, he then sent for me; I also refused. I remained with Mr. Birch for a couple of hours, and asked him permission to go and see the Sultan, he gave me leave and I went down to Abdullah's boat, and had a long talk. I asked him did he mean to put his chop to the papers he had signed at Kota Stiah or not? he said the chop was still under repair. I said it has been a long time under repair, and that he ought to bring it on, and do the business thoroughly, and that he could not expect Mr. Birch to go and squat on a mat with him in the middle of the night in his empty balai.

Next day, the Sultan, Datu Bandar, and Laxamana went to see Mr. Birch, they had 81 August. long talk about levying of taxes and fixing the boundaries of Kreeau and the Dindings. Mr. Birch also told and explained to them the route the Governor intended to take; be also asked Abdullah what objection he had to Cassim's marriage; Abdullah gave some faint kind of answer, saying that Kulop Mah Rouse wanted to marry the woman. He also spoke to Mr. Birch about five woman who had ran away from Hadjee Hawah to Kota Stiah. Mr. Birch said that they had been brought to Bandar Babru and sent back

to Kota Stialı.

Mr. Birch spoke in a very determined tone about Kulop Samat, who was in custody, he refused giving him up, and moreover insisted on the Sultan's giving up the other man, Abdullah, who was still at large, saying that unless he gave up the man, it was of no use for him, Mr. Birch, to hold the power he had received from Abdullah to be one of the judges of Perak.

The Sultan made many objections to giving up the man, at last he got up suddenly and kicked up a row with the Toh Bandar and the Laxamana, and about half an hour after the Laxamana appeared bringing in the man Abdullah. The man was put in the lock-up, and Mr. Birch told the Laxamana that he did it as an example to prevent a similar offence, which was an indignity to the Residency's flag, and that he would let him go in a few days.

Shortly after, about the 22nd August 1875, Mr. Birch started from the Residency for Blanja in order to see Ismail in reference to the intended visit of the Governor, and to fix a spot for making a bahlie at Blanja, we were accompanied by Inche Ismail and Nacodah Trang, we stopped for the night at Campong Gajah, when Datu Sagor came down to the beach with a spear in his hand, with some 15 or 20 armed followers. At the time we were sitting waiting for our dinner.

When the Datu Sagor came, Mr. Birch said, So you have been preventing me to make a Bablie at your place. The Datu Sagor said, No, I have been assisting you. Mr. Birch then said, did you not try to prevent my Pungulu from clearing a spot on the top of Bukit Tongul ? he said, Yes, I did so because I received a letter from Sultan Ismail telling that the place should not be cleared, and that Ismail going to fine him $300. for having allowed the clearing to be commenced.

He said, what can I do? I myself have no objection for the part being cleared. Mr. Birch said, "It is all nonsense, it is your own doing." He said, No; what business have you coming before me with a spear? And Mr. Birch ordered the sepoy who was on guard to take the spear away from him, he refused also to let him sit down in his presence, and told him that he was a very bad man,

The Datu Sagor replied, Sir, I come here at night with a spear in my hand for fear of wild beasts, but not with the intention of doing you any harm, and begged of Mr. Birch to return his spear; Mr. Birch said, No, I will not. The Datu Sagar then begged of me to intercede, and get his spear back; I said to him, You are an old fool, Mr. Birch is only playing with you, you will get it by and bye. After dinner Mr. Birch gave back the spear to Datu Sagor, and spread a mat for him to sit down, and gave him a cigar to smoke.

After some talk, when we were going home, Mr. Birch told him not to give us any more trouble, but to finish the work.

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