THE NEGRI SEMBILAN. 37 
the coasts. These Ménangkabau settlers brought their tribal 
laws with them—the illegality of intermarriage in a tribe, 
the election of the Lémbdéga,* or Chief of a tribe, etc. 
They fell in with the aboriginal views, and observed 
their rights to all waste lands, and their power in each 
State. 
The best instance of the lines pursued by these settlers, 
and their amalgamation with the Séfez, is that 
Sri Ménnti. of the first settlers at Sri Méndnti and Ulu 
Muar, then a part of Johdél. Four settlers 
arrived with their families, each belonging to a different tribe. 
Their names were PADUKA BESAR, ENGKEI + BONGSU, SE- 
NARA MUDA and St MAHARAJA. As they travelled to the 
Ulu of the Muar River, they came on a valley where they 
found the paddy in the ear, ripe, and they resolved to settle - 
there, and called the name of the place Sri Méndnti. S77 
is the Ménangkdbau word for the ripe paddy,{t Méndntz 
“awaiting.” Svz Méndntc has been generally translated 
“The beautiful resting place.’ This is far more poetical, 
but not in accordance with Malay thought, which is always 
of the most practical, neither can this translation be recon- 
ciled with grammar. 
These four men settled at Sri Méndnti and conciliated 
brain ofahe the Sakez of Muar and Johél to a certain 
Pénghilu of extent. It is, however, probable that they 
Muar. found their position somewhat insecure; 
they, therefore, applied to the Dato’ of Johdl for a Péng- 
* ‘Lémbaga,’ condition, quality, system, and so applied to ‘manager ’ of 
latter. 
+ ze. ‘éngkaya,’ for‘ drang kaya,’ lit: ‘rich man,’ but merely a title 
actually. 
{ It is not the xame, but an epithet from the colour and flourishing condition 
of the padi, it is not confined to it in the ripe stage, but is used of it when green 
also. 
Diol A. El, 
