266 MISCELLANEOUS NOTEL. 



and destroying all the property and massacreing all the inhabitants. 



The Governor, on receiving this news last night, at once gave 

 orders that this very day a detachment of 60 European soldiers 

 with the Bugis, numbering 50 men, and a battalion of Chinese and 

 native military should take the field against the enemy. 



The marines and sailors of the vessels stationed here, viz., 'De 

 drei Henvelen" and the " Waereld " with a corps of volunteers 

 formed the reserve. 



These combined forces, numbering about 300 men, commanded 

 by Ensign Kruythoff, lately arrived from Batavia, and Sergeant 

 Meyer, left this town in the greatest silence at half past four this 

 morning, and marched off straight by Panklarame * (Pangkalan 

 Rama ) to Feringg Though they had a great deal of trouble on 

 their way thither, the enemy having covered the roads with innu- 

 merable caltrops, our troops still reached their destination at half 

 past five. 



They were only discovered when at a short distance from the 

 enemy's bentang and the latter, warned by their sentries, were up 

 in arms at once, abusing our troops from a distance, and calling 

 out to them to come nearer if they dared. 



Our Ensign Kruythoff, knowing this part of the country 

 thoroughly, then detached the marines and sailors with the volun- 

 teers and some natives, and despatched them through the jungle to 

 the opposite side of the bentang, with the order that they should 

 fire again when they had reached the spot agreed on. The Bugis 

 and one-half of the European soldiers were stationed in the jungle 

 right in front of the bentang, while the rest of the Europeans 

 under Kruythoff himself were stationed at the side of the main 

 road to Malacca. The report of the gun fired by the detached 

 troops was to be the signal for a general attack. 



* "Pangkalan," landing-place. "Rama" or " Eame" is said to be a corrup- 

 tion of " ramei," populous ; the Dutch spelling does suggest that there has 

 been a change in the pronunciation of the word in the lapse of time, but 

 the - " are other derivations which might be equally plausible, such as the 

 uame "Rama" a Hindu name, dating from pre-Mohamedan days. The place 

 is a little over a mile from town on the Durian Tunggal road. 



