came and settled amongst the English at Bencoolen in the year
1687, on his return from a journey to the southward as far as Lampong,
and being much respected by the people of the country gained the entire
confidence of Mr. Bloom, the governor. He subdued some of the
neighbouring chiefs who were disaffected to the English, particularly
Raja mudo of Sungei-lamo, and also a Jennang or deputy from the king of
Bantam; he coined money, established a market, and wrote a letter to the
East India Company promising to put them in possession of the trade of
the whole island. But shortly afterwards a discovery was made of his
having formed a design to cut off the settlement, and he was in
consequence driven from the place. The records mention at a subsequent
period that the sultan of Indrapura was raising troops to oppose him.*

(*Footnote. The following anecdote of one of these personages was
communicated to me by my friend, the late Mr. Crisp. "Some years ago,
when I was resident of Manna, there was a man who had long worked in the
place as a coolie when someone arrived from the northward, who happened
to discover that he was an Iang de per-tuan or relation of the imperial
family. Immediately all the bazaar united to raise him to honour and
independence; he was never suffered to walk without a high umbrella
carried over him, was followed by numerous attendants, and addressed by
the title of tuanku, equivalent to your highness. After this he became an
intriguing, troublesome fellow in the Residency, and occasioned much
annoyance. The prejudice in favour of these people is said to extend over
all the islands to the eastward where the Malay tongue is spoken.")

HIS TITLES.

The titles and epithets assumed by the sultans are the most extravagantly
absurd that it is possible to imagine. Many of them descend to mere
childishness; and it is difficult to conceive how any people, so far
advanced in civilization as to be able to write, could display such
evidences of barbarism. A specimen of a warrant of recent date, addressed
to Tuanku Sungei-Pagu, a high-priest residing near Bencoolen, is as
follows:

Three circular Seals with inscriptions in Arabic characters.

(Eldest brother) Sultan of Rum. Key Dummul Alum. Maharaja Alif.

(Second brother) Sultan of China. Nour Alum. Maharaja Dempang or Dipang.

(Youngest brother) Sultan of Menangkabau. Aour Alum. Maharaja Dirja or
Durja.

TRANSLATION OF A WARRANT.

The sultan of Menangkaba