260 THE DUTCH IN PERAK. 
‘“ When this was decided on (i. ¢., the selection of Pulau Champaka Sari to be 
the future capital of Sultan IskANDAR SHAH ),* the Raja Muda and Chiefs 
craved leave to depart to their respective homes to summon all the head- 
men and ryots from all parts of the country and desire them to attend 
quickly, each with his parang and axe, at Pulau Champaka Sari. Now while 
the people were being collected in this way to build the fort at Pulau 
Champaka Sari, a calumnious report was invented by acertain Kling named 
PIR MOHAMED. This Prk MOHAMED had been appointed by the Raja of 
Malacca to be interpreter to the Hollanders who were living at Pangkalan 
Halban, and during the reign of Sultan MozZAFAR SHAH this interpreter 
was in high favour with the Sultan and could do very much as he liked. 
But now that Sultan ISKANDAR SHAH was Sultan, he could no longer do as 
he liked and he accordingly hated Sultan IskKANDAR. So hespread a mali- 
cious report. He went up the river from Tanjong Putus to ask an audi- 
ence of the Sultan at Brahman Indra and gave out that he was the bearer 
of a letter from the Company, but he did not inform the Laksamana and 
the Shahbandar before he went up the river. When he reached Brahman 
Indra, he wanted to go into the presence of the Sultan, but the latter 
hearing that he had not informed the Laksamana and the Shahbandar 
and further that the letter was not accompanied by presents, refused 
to receive him, for it is customary for letters from one country to 
another to be accompanied by presents. So the letter was not received and 
the messenger was ordered to return down the river again. Not being able 
to gain admission to the Sultan, he returned to Tanjong Putus and went to 
his Captain and told him that Sultan ISKANDAR was no longer inclined to be 
friendly. with the Hollanders and that he had refused to receive the letter 
because “this Sultan ISKANDAR evidently intends to have something to say 
“to us down here and has already collected all his men together and with his 
“ Chiefs is planning an attack upon us.” When the Captain heard this report of 
the interpreter’s he was exceedingly disturbed in mind, and forthwith there was 
prepared by the interpreter a letter, the contents of which were very abominable, 
and this was ordered to be despatched to Malacca and thence to Batavia to 
the Company setting forth how the Raja of Perak intended to destroy all the 
Hollanders at Tanjong Putus. These statements were received at Malacca 
and forwarded to Batavia,and the Company ordered up seven sloops from 
Batavia to Malacca and thence to Perak ; one of their Panglimas was called 
“Commissary” and the other “ Capitan Malayu”’ and they came to ascertain 
whether the intentions of the Raja of Perak were as they were described in 
the interpreter’s letter to be, or not, The seven sloops sailed from Batavia to 
Malacca and came on to Perak. All this time Sultan ISKANDAR had no know- 
ledge of the malicious accusation which the interpreter had made against him, 
but was employed in building his fort and making his settlement at Pulo 
Champaka Sari. When all the headmen and ryots were assembled, all ready 
with their parangs and axes, His Highness departed to Pulau Champaka Sari, 
attended by the Raja Muda, the young Rajas, the chiefs and ryots, and com- 
menced the foundation of his settlement in the customary way. All were busy 
cutting timber for the fort when the Commissary and Capitan Malayu arrived 
at Kuala Perak with their seven sloops. They came up the river to Pangka- 
lan Halban and joined their friends who were looking after the Dutch factory 
there. Then they made arrangements for visiting the Sultan, and told the 
Laksamana and the Shahbandar that they were Ambassadors from Batavia 
* Sultan MozArArR SHAH of Perak died A. H. 1167 (A.D. 1756) and- was 
succeeded by Sultan ISKANDAR SHAH, 
