with an Account of its Gold Mines. 29 1 



who derive great advantage from the difcord of the eaftern 

 princes. 



The kingdom of Macaflar or Goach lies on the weftern 

 fide of the ifland, of which it occupies the greater part. The 

 king of Goach and that of Tello both bear the title of Ma- 

 caflar, though each has a diftincl kingdom : they aflume the 

 titles of Goach and Tello from their places of refidence. Ac- 

 cording to an ancient tradition, the Macaflars, like many 

 other nations, deduce the origin of their princes immediately 

 from the gods. Once, fay they, after the death of the firft 

 fovereign of the kingdom, a beautiful female defcended from 

 heaven fufpended by a golden chain. This celeftial beauty, 

 named Tumanurong-a, was immediately chofen by the Ma- 

 caflars to be their queen. She afterwards married a king of 

 Bonthain, and, after being pregnant three yeare, brought 

 forth a wonderful child, capable of fpeaking and walking as 

 foon as it was born, but exceedingly ugly and deformed. 

 This young prince was named Tuma-Salingabeerang. When 

 he attained to manhood he broke the golden chain which his 

 mother had brought with her from heaven, and the mother 

 and her hufband inftantly difappeared, and left to their fon 

 the kingdom, together with one half of the chain. This 

 chain, which, it is aflerted, was fomctimes light and fome- 

 times heavy, and fometimes appeared of a pale colour, was 

 long preferved as a valuable part of the regalia of the crown, 

 until it was loft, with various other rarities, during the war- 

 like commotions which took place in this kingdom about the 

 middle of the prefent century. This Tuma-Salingabeerijng 

 is confidered as the chief of the family of all the kings of 

 Goach . 



The Dutch were involved in violent dlfputes with thefe 

 fovereigns before they were able to eltablifli themfclves in 

 their kingdom. In the year 1778 Goach, the capital, was 

 taken by Itorm and dcltroyed; and in T781 the prefent king 

 Puntluca Siri, fultan Abdal Iladja, was placed on the throne 

 by the government of Jiatavia. The king of Goach docs not 

 enjoy unlimited power, but is fubjecl to certain laws, which 

 he is obliged ftriclly to obferve. He can undertake no mea- 

 furc of importance without the confeut of his council, nor 

 P p 3 can 



