1835.] Naning in the Malay Peninsula, 301 



In the old Dutch records, preserved in the archives of Malacca, we 

 find, in 1643, the inhabitants of Naning and Rumbowe, particularly 

 those of the districts of Mullikey, Perling, and Inac, noticed as being 

 in a very rebellious and disorderly state, refusing to obey their chief 

 Raja Merah, the first Panghulu of Naning, on account of the banish- 

 ment by the Dutch of one of their chiefs, named Meni Tuan Lelah 

 Reawan, from the territory of Malacca : and complaining [that the 

 administration of justice was not according to their customs. 



In 1644, the Dutch Government resolved to depute commissioners 

 to Naning, in order to restore tranquillity, to take a survey of Naning 

 and its districts, to apportion lands to the inhabitants, (who, it is wor- 

 thy of note, are always styled " Manikdbowes," or settlers from 

 Menangkabowe in Sumatra,) to in fuse intotheir minds the advan. 

 tages resulting from habits of industry, to turn their attention to 

 agricultural pursuits, to persuade them to " depart from the state of 

 barbarism under which they then laboured," and finally, to furnish 

 Raja Merah, the chiefs and inhabitants there, with instructions how 

 they were to conduct themselves towards the Government of Malacca 

 in respect to the administration of justice in civil cases, and above all, 

 to take cognizance of every criminal case that occurred there. 



To fulfil the objects of this mission, Government selected senior mer- 

 chant Snoueq. But citizen Snoueq, the minute drily observes, 

 " brings in various excuses, saying he is unwell, and that the road to 

 Naning is impassable, that his legs are bad, and that he is not profi- 

 cient in the Malay language." 



Shortly after this, Snoueq still persisting in his objections, an 

 expedition is ordered to proceed to Naning, under Captain S. Alex- 

 ander Mendos and Antonio Gonio Louis Pinjero, consisting of 50 

 Netherlands, and 60 Malacca soldiers, with 20 peons, to convey pro- 

 visions and baggage, and a number of boats and boatmen — in all 180 

 men. 



The following is the official account of the mission written by the 

 Governor Jeremias Van Vliet, who, it appears, proceeded himself to 

 Naning in the room of Snoueq. 



" On the third day, about three hours before the sun went 

 down, we arrived with the whole retinue at Pankallang Naning, as 

 far as is navigable, with a boat. Here we rested during the night, and 

 found Raja Merah, with some of the principal chiefs of Naning, who 

 shewed us every mark of respect and obedience. 



" Early on the morning of the fourth, we marched forward with the 

 whole retinue, through forests, to Melecque (Mullikey). We reached 

 this place at 10 o'clock, with the principal part of the troops, and 



