Raja Kechil-besar in his room, appointing at the same
time, as his minister and successor, Raja Gandam Shah, by whom, upon his
accession in 1728, the seat of government was removed from Manjuta to
Moco-moco. He was father of sultan Pasisir Barat shah mualim shah, still
reigning in the year 1780, but harassed by the frequent rebellions of his
eldest son. The space of time occupied by the reigns of these two
sovereigns is extraordinary when we consider that the former must have
been at man's estate when he became minister or assessor in 1717. Nor is
it less remarkable that the son of the deposed sultan Gulemat, called
sultan Ala ed-din, was also living, at Tappanuli, about the year 1780,
being then supposed ninety years of age. He was confined as a state
prisoner at Madras during the government of Mr. Morse, and is mentioned
by Captain Forrest (Voyage to the Mergui Archipelago, page 57) as uncle
to the king of Achin, who reigned in 1784. The first English settlement
at Moco-moco was formed in 1717.

PASSAMMAN.

Passamman was the most northern of the provinces immediately dependant on
Menangkabau, and afterwards, together with Priaman and many other places
on the coast, fell under the dominion of the kings of Achin. It is now
divided into two petty kingdoms, each of which is governed by a raja and
fourteen pangulus. Formerly it was a place of considerable trade, and,
beside a great export of pepper, received much fine gold from the
mountains of the Rau country, lying about three days' journey inland. The
inhabitants of these are said to be Battas converted to Mahometanism and
mixed with Malays. They are governed by datus. The peculiarity of dress
remarked of the Korinchi people is also observable here, the men wearing
drawers that reach just below the calf, having one leg of red and the
other of white or blue cloth, and the baju or garment also
party-coloured. The greater part of the gold they collect finds its way
to Patapahan on the river of Siak, and from thence to the eastern side of
the island and straits of Malacca. The Agam tribe adjoining to the Rau,
and connecting to the southward with Menangkabau, differs little from
Malays, and is likewise governed by datus.

SIAK.

The great river of Siak has its source in the mountains of the
Menangkabau country, and empties itself nearly opposite to Malacca, with
which place it formerly carried on a considerable trade. From the Dutch
charts we had a general knowledge of