244 Sketch of the four Menangkabowe States, [Mat, 



the cause of the latter, whilst the five remaining states took up arras 

 in favor of the former. 



The Dutch, it would appear from an official communication address- 

 ed to the Panghulu of Naning, in answer to a requisition made by that 

 chief for ammunition to defend himself against the Bugis, did not 

 take any active part in these disturbances, but pithily advised the 

 PanghUlu to observe a state of neutrality, and in no case whatever to 

 intermeddle with such intestine commotions ; and refusing the supply 

 of ammunition solicited, informed him that, being a subject of the 

 Matschappy, he had not the slightest cause for fear. 



In the event, the Menangkabowe claimant, Raja Malaywar, was 

 successful, and Dyen Cambodia retired to Riiio, where he died about 

 1773. 



The Panghulus of the four states, which had espoused his cause, 

 with the assent of the Sultan of Johore, and the government at Ma- 

 lacca, elected Raja Malaywar as their sovereign, under the title of 

 Eang depertuan Bestir*, renouncing at the same time their allegiance 

 to Johore. 



Raja Malaywar was the first prince of the Menangkabowe dy- 

 nasty in the interior. 



The five other states remained as before, feudal to Johore. 



The following stipulations, a copy of which is said to be in posses- 

 sion of the chief of Sriminanti, were then agreed on : viz. that the 

 Menangkabowe sovereign, on all affairs of state, should assemble the 

 four Panghulus, and should submit to a majority ; that his mainte- 

 nance should be supplied equally by the inhabitants of the four states, 

 each house contributing annually one gantam of rice, two cocoa- nuts* 

 and one suku. 



The Panghulus bound themselves to furnish a certain complement 

 of men, arms, ammunition, and provisions, in case of a war; also on oc- 

 casions of deaths, marriages, circumcision, &c. in the royal family, to 

 send, each of them, three head of buffaloes, and to distribute a certain 

 sum in sadkeh (alms). 



The instalment of the Eang depertiian Besdr devolved upon the four 

 Panghulus, hence termed Punghulu Defdntye. 



To them also, on the decease of their sovereign, fell the duty of 

 transmitting the news of the event by letter to the Raja of Menang- 

 kabowe, who on its receipt deputed one of the princes of his house, 

 with pompous credentialsf, via. Siac, Malacca, and Naning, to Ram- 



* The title assumed by Menangkabowe princes of the blood, 

 t A translation of these credentials is annexed : they bear a strong resem- 

 blance to the Menangkabowe document published by Mr. Marsden. 



