u."

HISTORY OF MENANGKABAU IMPERFECTLY KNOWN.

Returning from this discussion I shall resume the consideration of what
is termed the Sumatran empire of Menangkabau, believed by the natives of
all descriptions to have subsisted from the remotest times. With its
annals, either ancient or modern, we are little acquainted, and the
existence of any historical records in the country has generally been
doubted; yet, as those of Malacca and of Achin have been preserved, it is
not hastily to be concluded that these people, who are the equals of the
former, and much superior to the latter in point of literature, are
destitute of theirs, although they have not reached our hands. It is
known that they deduce their origin from two brothers, named
Pera-pati-si-batang and Kei Tamanggungan, who are described as being
among the forty companions of Noah in the ark, and whose landing at
Palembang, or at a small island near it, named Langkapura, is attended
with the circumstance of the dry land being first discovered by the
resting upon it of a bird that flew from the vessel. From thence they
proceeded to the mountain named Siguntang-guntang, and afterwards to
Priangan in the neighbourhood of the great volcano, which at this day is
spoken of as the ancient capital of Menangkabau. Unfortunately I possess
only an imperfect abstract of this narrative, obviously intended for an
introduction to the genealogy of its kings, but, even as a fable,
extremely confused and unsatisfactory; and when the writer brings it down
to what may be considered as the historical period he abruptly leaves
off, with a declaration that the offer of a sum of money (which was
unquestionably his object) should not tempt him to proceed.

LIMITS.

At a period not very remote its limits were included between the river of
Palembang and that of Siak, on the eastern side of the island, and on the
western side between those of Manjuta (near Indrapura) and Singkel, where
(as well as at Siak) it borders on the independent country of the Battas.
The present seat, or more properly seats, of the divided government lie
at the back of a mountainous district named the Tiga-blas koto
(signifying the thirteen fortified and confederated towns) inland of the
settlement of Padang. The country is described as a large plain
surrounded by hills producing much gold, clear of woods, and
comparatively well cultivated. Although nearer to the western coast its
communications with the eastern