OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 197 



public works, roads, bridges, &c, he has no means at his disposal 

 for doing so, whilst a greater difficulty still is found in the popula- 

 tion which contains many disorderly elements. 



Escaped criminals from the Straits, aspiring but disappointed 

 Eajas and Chiefs from neighbouring States, malcontents, and run- 

 away slaves, these have for years found a refuge in Rarnbau. 



For a Malay, whose very name might imply indolence, it is not 

 easy, even though he personally may desire to do what is right, to- 

 impress such subjects as these with the advantage and advisability 

 of following his lead in a course so much at variance with all their 

 own lives. 



And the case of E-ambau is also in a minor degree that of the 

 other small States around Malacca. 



In Johol the Datu is a man who does almost anything any one 

 advises him, is reputed to sell his chop (seal) for a dollar, and is such 

 a confirmed opium-smoker that he has little thought or care of his 

 duties as a ruler. 



Jelabu is hardly in a flourishing or satisfactory state. Only 

 two or three months ago four Sumatra Malays, having been invited 

 to trade in Jelabu were there attacked and three of them murdered 

 by highwaymen. No enquiry being made, or steps taken to arrest 

 the murderers, ten fellow-countrymen of the murdered men w r ent 

 to Jelabu to ask what was the custom in such cases there. They 

 were told there was no custom, and were threatened with detention, 

 hearing which nearly a thousand Sumatra men from Ulu Langat, 

 Sungei TTjong and other States went to Jelabu to demand satisfac- 

 tion, and with this show of force they managed to obtain redress. 



Sri Menanti is at present without a Chief, as amongst nume- 

 rous claimants those whose privilege it is to make a selection can- 

 not make up their minds who has the best title. Sri Menanti has 

 thus been without a recognised head for years. 



As was stated before, these small States were once under 

 Johor, and a proposition has now been made to unite them and 

 put them again under Sultan xIli Iskander Shah, the direct 



