OF THE MALAI PENINSULA, L85 



The Mentri of Larut also, by his intrigues and professions 

 of friendship, now to Abdullah now to Ismail, Las in no small 



degree helped to keep alive the discontent which exists. 



When the Resident first took up his duties, the collection of 



revenue and the preservation of the peace seemed to demand such 

 immediate arrangement and control, that there was nut oppor- 

 tunity to devote himself entirely to the Chiefs, but now that these 

 two important questions are put on more satisfactory footing, it 

 seems necessary to take up the final settlement of any difficulty 

 which still remains about Abdullah's acknowledgment, the arrange- 

 ment of a Civil List, and the particular duties of particular Chiefs. 



Abdullah himself has, however, been the greatest obstacle to 

 his own complete recognition as Sultan. Since January. 1874, 

 instead of exerting himself to a just fulfilment of the duties which 

 then devolved upon him, he has devoted himself to opium-smokingj 

 cock-fighting and other vices, and by his overbearing manner and 

 absurd pride of position, he has, instead of conciliating, rather 

 estranged thus.' who only wanted forbearance to make them his 

 supporters. 



Thus, although Abdi r.r.xu has amongst those attached to his 

 cause some of the most enlightened of Perak Chiefs, still the pari \ 

 in opposition, with Ismail and Jusof at their head, are so Streis- 

 and influential with the Natives of the interior as to necessitate an 

 amicable arrangement with them before the affairs of Perak can be 

 said to be finally settled. 



The immediate cause of this Government's recent and mure 

 intimate relations in Selangor arose from an atrocious piracy 

 being committed in November, 1S73, just off; the Jugra river, some 

 few miles from the Sultan of Selangor's residence. One man alone 

 escaped with his life from the pirated boat, jumping overboard and 

 holding to the rudder for hours. He swam ashore, escaped to 

 Malacca, and there meeting the pirates he laid an information and 

 thev were arrested. 



