His researches in Mahii/on history. 31 



torical and national inquiries, to wliich we have adverted in a 

 former page, the intense application of his mind to the whole, in 

 a dehiiitating atmosphere, induced severe indisposition. This 

 compelled him to seek change of scene, and he accordingly pro- 

 ceeded to Malacca, early in the year 1808. When his health had 

 become in some degree re-established, he commenced an investi- 

 gation of the history, the localities, and the resources of that 

 settlement, which terminated in the first great service he per- 

 formed to the authority of Britain in the Malayan states. For the 

 result of his researches was the conviction, that Malacca was a 

 place of much greater importance than had been conceived ; and 

 he found it incumbent upon him to prepare a Report upon the sub- 

 ject, for the information of the government of which he was an 

 oflRcer. In this report he pointed out the expediency of counter- 

 manding the instructions which had been issued, for the demo- 

 lition of the fortifications at Malacca. This suggestion was taken 

 into consideration, and finally adopted ; and by the timely repre- 

 sentation of other circumstances alluded to in the report, some of 

 which, it would appear, had been unknown before, and others not 

 duly appreciated, he was eventually the instrument of preventing 

 the alienation of Malacca from the British Crown. 



Pursuing with ardour his enquiries into the history, and past 

 as well as present condition, of the nations by which he was 

 surrounded, Mr. Raffles communicated to the Asiatic Society of 

 Calcutta, in the course of the year 1810, a paper " On the 

 Malayu Nation ; with a translation of its Maritime Institutions.'* 

 It was afterwards published, in the year 1816, in the twelfth 

 volume of the Asiatic Researches, to which it forms one of the 

 most important contributions. 



This paper, Mr. Raffles's first production in literature, 

 we believe, commences Avith some remarks on the prevalent 

 error of supposing that the Malays have preserved no written 

 records of their usages and laws ; and thence, after proceed- 

 ing to define the extent of the Malayu nation, and to shew 

 that the various dialects of the language are not radically -dis- 

 tinct, the author gives a general account of the proper laws and 

 customs of the Malays, as they at present exist as a nation, which 

 are independent of the laws of the Koran.) and which are pre- 



