12 MARITIME CODE. 



'state that these white men will do what is wrong in our country.' 



" For forty days the Portuguese ships traded at Malacca, but 

 still the Portuguese Commander remained on shore presenting 

 dollars by the chest, and gold ; and how many beautiful cloths 

 did he present to the illustrious Sultan Ahmed Shah, so that the 

 Sultan was most happy. 



" The Bendahara and the Temenggongs still remained of the 

 same opinion respecting the Portuguese, and were not well in- 

 clined towards them; but finding that their representations weie 

 not attended to, nor well received by the Raja, they ceased to 

 make them. To how many of the rich and great men did the Com- 

 mander of the Portuguese present Manila chains, and how pleas- 

 ed was every one with the Portuguese ; the Bendahara and the 

 Temenggongs were alone disatisfied. 



" After this Sultan A timed Stt ah said to the Commander of 

 the Portuguese, 'what more do you require from us that you ten - 



* der us such rich presents ?' To this the Commander replied ' we only 

 "request one thing of our friend, should he still be well inclined to- 

 ' wards the white men ;' whereupon Sultan Ahmed Shah said 'state 



* what it is, that I may hear it, and if it is in my power I will com- 

 ' ply with the request of my friend.' The Portuguese answered, ' we 



* wish to request a small piece of ground to the extent of what the 

 'skin of a beast may cover;' 'Then,' said the Raja, 'let not my 

 ' friends be unhappy ; let them take whatever spot of ground they 



* like best to the extent of what they request.' 



" The Captain highly rejoiced at this ; and the Portuguese im- 

 mediately landed, bringing with them spades, bricks and mortar. 

 The Commander then took the skin of the beast, and, having rent 

 it into cords, measured therewith a piece of ground with four sides, 

 within which the Portuguese built a store house of very considera- 

 ble dimensions, leaving large apertures in the walls for guns ; and 

 "when the people of Malacca enquired the reason of the apertures 

 being left, the Portuguese returned for answer, ' they are apertures 

 'that the white men require for windows, ' so that the people of 

 Malacca were satisfied and content. Alas ! how often did the Ben- 

 dahara and the Temenggongs approach the Eaja with a request 

 that the white men might not be permitted to build a large house ; 

 but the Raja would say, 'my eyes are upon them, and they are few 



