i.CHKH. 45 



his own district ; lie is also bound to furnish the Sultan with men 

 in times of war with his neighbours. 



Till within the reign of the last three Sultans, the Suku 

 system prevailed, and the ruler of Acheh always had bis Council 

 of four Hulubalangs, aided by eight minor Hulubalangs, &c, the 

 former consisting of persons holding the hereditary titles of Ma- 

 haraja Mangkii Biimi, Maharaja Mangkii Besi, Perdana Mentri, 

 and Laksamana Panglima Dalam. 



Since these have been done away with, the Sultan, or [Raja, 

 has reigned without advisers beyond his Court favourites, and, in 

 their choice of a ruler, the chiefs have been mainly guided by the 

 opinion and advice of the Tfikii Kali, the High Priest. 



The coronation generally took place at the Misjid Eaja, and 

 the chiefs were expected to remain three days at least at or 

 near Kota Eaja after the ceremony of placing the Eaja on tbe 

 Batii Tabek, or coronation stone, as a token of their adherence 

 to the newly chosen prince, the Tiiku Kali being the first to 

 pay him homage. Kota Eaja, as it used to exist, exists no 

 longer, it being now a neat civilised military station. Formerly, 

 however, it consisted of a Kota with an inner Kraton or King's 

 Palace (at one time it is said to have contained an extensive 

 harem and some 3,000 Amazons), and surrounded by suburbs, the 

 circumference of which may be roughly taken at eight English miles. 

 It is situated on the left bank of the Acheh river, and has the 

 Krimg Darii running through it and into the Acheh rivers. 



This latter is the stream made mention of by Captain Best, 

 as having had its course diverted, but not to the extent he imagined. 



The origin of the people is, without doubt, a strong mixture of 

 Hindu and Malay with the Aborigenes or hill tribes, judging from 

 their type, language, and the fact of their first rulers being Hindus 

 followed by Malays from Menangkabau, who were either of royal 

 blood, or subsequently connected with royal blood by marriage. 



