18 CONSTITUTION OF THE NEGRI SEMBILAN. 



Most of the time on Friday was occupied on determin- 

 ing several nice points of procedure to be adopted in the cere- 

 mony of the morrow. The Sri Menanti people were, of course, 

 in favour of introducing many forms which the older men, 

 who had witnessed a previous installation, deemed to be 

 essential. The members of the Yam Tuan's family were 

 anxious to use every form of expression which would proclaim 

 the dominance of his position, and, had it not been for the 

 extreme good sense of His Highness, it would probably have 

 taken three or four days to arrange the procedure. 



I had many consultations with the Dato' Bandar of 

 Sungei Ujong, whose attitude throughout was firm but friendly, 

 and I explained to the Yam Tuan that the Chiefs had made 

 considerable concessions, that their patience ought not to be 

 taxed in any way, and that the ceremony should be performed 

 punctually and with as much expedition as possible. His 

 Highness at once replied that his desire was to yield every 

 point of minor importance. These discussions did not end 

 till nearly midnight on Friday, but it was satisfactory to feel 

 assured that every possible danger to the success of the very 

 important event about to be celebrated had been removed. 



On Saturday morning, crowds of people began to collect 

 from every quarter : with the exception of an early shower, 

 the weather was propitious. The placing of the royal 

 umbrellas in front of the " balai penghadapan " (the royal 

 hall in which the installation took place ) was the signal for 

 an enormous concourse of people to collect at that spot. 



At a quarter to eleven, a guard of honour of the Sikh 

 Police was drawn up near the reception halls of the four 

 Lawgivers : the first to arrive was the Dato' Eembau : I re- 

 ceived him at the entrance to the " balai panjang " and, after 

 the guard had presented arms to him, we placed his followers 

 in his reception hall and Mr. Parr conducted the Dato' to the 

 Astana to put his signature and chop to the agreement with 

 the Yam Tuan. Almost immediately afterwards, the Dato' 

 Klana and the Dato' Bandar of Sungei Ujong arrived : the 

 guard presented arms to them at the entrance to the " balai 



Jour. Straits Branch 



