338 Jelebu. 



And this is the form of words that has been nsed from 

 generation to generation by the Penghulus who have governed 

 the country of Jelebu. 



The Raja of Johor further issued instructions to the 

 Penghulu, that from that time forth the Penghulus of Jelebu 

 and of the other three States were not to bring their complaints 

 before Johor. 



Thereupon the four Penghulus made an arrangement to 

 create a Raja of their own, and chose a man of the royal blood 

 of Menangkabau, who on his election abode in the country of 

 Sri Menanti. 



The place where the election of this Raja occurred was 

 Petajeh, and hence arises the old Malay saying : ,c The source 

 " of royal power is Petajeh ; the place where it dwells is Sri 

 " Menanti."" A Yam Tuan* Muda in Renibau, and a Yam 

 Tuan Besar in Sri Menanti, such was the (new) order of things, 

 and the four Penghulus no longer took their complaints to 

 Johor, but to Sri Menanti, and had thus a Menangkabau man 

 as their ruler. 



At that time there was no Yam Tuan in Jelebu, but the 

 Penghulu held sway in that country, and this state of things 

 continued for a long time. 



At length the Yam Tuan of Sri Menanti, who had a num- 

 ber of sons, sent one of them to Jelebu, merely to take up his 

 abode there and to till the ground. His conduct "was long 

 watched by all the officers of Jelebu, and they saw that it was 

 very good. His behaviour towards the people was good, and he 

 seemed to be a man capable of supporting and sustaining the 

 country. He was also a man of considerable mental ability, 

 and his personal character was beyond reproach. 



Accordingly all the officers met together and 7iotified to the 

 Penghulu their intention * of making the Yam Titan's (Sri 

 Menanti) son their supreme ruler. 



He was accordingly elected with the title of Yam Tuan 

 of Jelebu, with the duties of protector of the inhabitants of 

 that country. He did not, however, receive any jurisdiction in 

 the country, and the Penghulu and the officers contributed to 

 his support, each man as much as he could afford. 



* This account of the attitude of the Waiis and Ltmoa^as in these early 

 times ifi noteworthy as bearing upon the present constitution of tae country. 



