250 



E^MBATJ. 



Raja Ah. Eaja Ali intrigued himself into the position of Yam Tuan Muda, 



and after the defeat and retirement from the country of Raja 

 Labu, the last Menangkabau prince, he succeeded in obtaining 

 the object of his ambition, the position of Yam Tuan Besar, to 

 which, as to that of Yam Tuan Muda, he had no real claim at all. 



From the time of his advent till quite lately, Eembau and the 

 neighbouring States have continued to be troubled by a series of 

 intrigues. 

 Syed Saban. He appointed Syed Saban, his son-in-law, Yam Tuan Muda, who 

 was ultimately unable to hold his own, and after the Naning war 

 became a pensioner of the Government, living alternately in Malacca 

 and Tampin, which latter place has?, from the time of the first Yam 

 Tuan Muda Eaja Asil, been assigned to the prince holding that 

 position for his maintenance. 

 Syed Hamid. Syed Saban's son, Tengku Syed Hamid, though he has long en- 

 deavoured to obtain the position of Yam Tuan Muda, has never 

 succeeded in securing the needful recognition, and now rules in 

 Tampin only, which may be now considered to be as completely 

 severed from Eembau, as that State is from any further connection 

 with a Yam Tuan either Besar or Muda. 



The following account embodies those traditions which have 

 been handed down in Eembau regarding the origin of the Penghulu, 

 of some of the chiefs, and of some of the sulcus, and will be found r 

 as might have been expected, to differ- in some points from others 

 on the same subject already referred to and obtained from different 

 sources. 



Among the ll Lembaga " or eight chiefs of " suku " the two 

 highest are the Gempa Maharaja, and Merah Bangsa. 



This is because, on the decease of a Sedia Eaja Penghulu, when 

 the chiefs are assembled for the election of his successor, the Dato* 

 Gempa Maharaja's duty is to install him and notify it to the people. 

 And on the decease of a Lela Maharaja Penghulu the Dato' Merah 

 Bangsa discharges similar functions. 



The four Lembaga in the low country are held senior to the four 

 inland, and when one of the former dies, his insignia are half those 

 displayed on the death of a Penghulu, while those of an inland 



Origin of 

 Penghulu 

 Chiefs and 

 " Suku." 



Lembaga. 



