hough
he subsequently restored one of them to Mangku Nagara, the
prince could not pardon the offence. The one that Mangku Bumi
did not restore appears to have been especially a favourite of
Mangku Nagara, whose grief and resentment were aggravated by
some other offences; and the Dutch Governor of Samarang took
advantage of this disposition to urge him to forsake the cause
of Mangku Bumi. His efforts were at first successful, and Mangku
Nagara made peace with the Dutch, and declared war against
Mangku Bumi; but this state of things did not continue long. War
soon recommenced between the Dutch and Mangku Nagara, from some
cause which does not fully appear. It is believed that the
latter was unable to prevent his adherents from quarrelling with
and attacking the Dutch; but the fact is, the Mangku Bumi,
finding himself unable to resist the united forces of Mangku
Nagara and of the Dutch, found means to effect a reconciliation
with the latter, and by their mediation received from the
Susunan Zaku Buwana nearly a half of the Empire of Mataram,
assumed the title of Sultan, and fixed his residence at
Jotjokarta, the susunan residing at Solo, or Surakarta. This
division of the empire took place in A.D. 1755. From this epoch
the power of the unfortunate Mangku Nagara declined. Mangku Bumi
made common cause with the Dutch and the susunan against him,
and the desertion of several of his adherents, who now joined
his relentless enemies, left him no rest. He was hunted from
place to place like a wild beast, until he resolved, in his
despair, to fall upon his numerous foes, in the persuasion that
he should perish in the strife. Forty of his bravest friends
joined in this resolution; their example encouraged the few
troops who remained with him; they attacked their enemies with
desperate courage, and unexpectedly gained a great victory. The
Dutch were wholly defeated; nearly a hundred of them were left
dead on the field of battle; and, better than all, his brave and
indefatigable enemy, Van der Zoll, the Dutch commander, perished
in the fight. Mangku Nagara's success, however, was not
permanent; he was defeated in the next battle, and, although the
war continued with varying success, sometimes to the advantage
of one side, and sometimes of the other, his cause gradually
declined. It wa