MARITIME CODE. 7 



Head Retah 



Wild-hog Chang Khok 



Devil ... ... ... Choling 



As the relations that may have existed between the State of 

 Menangkabau on the Island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula 

 is not generally known, the following translation of a Malay manu- 

 script, to which I give some credit, may be interesting. The cir- 

 cumstances related are without date or authority, but it is in a 

 great degree confirmed by the general history of Johor, and the 

 present state of the country in the neighbourhood, as well as by 

 the existence at this day of another Malay State of considerable 

 extent, situated in the interior of the peninsula, and deriving it's 

 authority from Menangkabau in Sumatra. The State alluded to is 

 that of Rambau, inland of Malacca, the Raja of which, as well as 

 his Officers, receive their authority and appointments from Sumatra. 

 Communication is carried on in the Malay Peninsula, through the 

 River Linggi in the neighbourhood of Malacca, and that of Siak 

 on the Sumatra side. The Malays of Rambau, with whom I have 

 now had frequent communication, adopt the broad dialect of the 

 Malays of Sumatra ; changing the «, at the end of a word into o, — a 

 peculiarity which may be still observed among many of the 

 inhabitants of the southern part of the Peninsula : — 



" Many years ago, the Raja of Johor had an only daughter, the 

 fame of whose beauty reached the ears of the illustrious son of the 

 Raja of Menangkabau, whose residence is at Pagaruyong in Pulau 

 Percha and whose power is mighty. The young Prince enamour- 

 ed with the enchanting descriptions of this beauty, entreated 

 his father's permission to make the voyage to Johor for his recre- 

 ation , and the Raja his father was pleased to comply with his 

 request. 



" The young Prince accordingly embarked from the shores of 

 Pulau Percha, attended by a numerous retinue suited to his high 

 rank and splendid fortune. 



" On the arrival of the Prince from the Island of Sumatra in 

 the Straits of Johor, he was desirous of immediately proceeding up 

 the river, but the Raja of Johor, alarmed at the unexpected ap- 

 pearance of so large a fleet with a Royal Standard, refused him 

 admittance. The Prince, determined on proceeding, entered the 

 River ; and being opposed by the JoJiorians a severe battle ensued, 



