51 



involved with that power almost immediate- 

 ly afterwards, for we find in their records that oa 

 the ^th of Aug^ust of the year following their con- 

 quests they equipped a force of two hundred Ne- 

 therlands !soldierfi> and an irregular a. !>. m\. Heg. 

 Militia, composed of Sailors, clerks, 

 Portuguese, &c, in order to quell tlje refractory 

 spirit of the Nanuingites. Four elephants, each 

 carrying a swivel, were intended to accompany 

 the troop*, but the measures of the council were 

 disconcerted by the sudden arrival of two mes- 

 sengers bearing a letter from the Hajah of Jo- 

 hore. AUiiough the mistsive was of a friendly 

 character, the sospicionsi of the Duich were at 

 once arou'^ed, and they construed, with apparent- 

 ly good reason, the appearance of these iodivi- 

 dnats to arise from their coming in the character 

 of spies to ascertain how far iheir strength would 

 f nable them to wage a foreign war, and at the 

 same time defend their own newly acquired do- 

 minion. The Knjah of .lohore being too powerl'ul 

 for the Dutch to venture on converting him into 

 an enenty. which they apprehended would be the^ 

 result of their marching against the Nanningites, 

 the expedition was postponed, for which decisi- 

 on an additional reason was found in the espou- 

 sal of that tribeV cause by the people of Rumbovv, 



In 1643, 44/the lawless state of a.d, 1043.44. 

 the districts of Miillikei, Ynac/ and ««g- 

 Purlies, in the Nabnings- territory, attracted the no- 

 tice of Government, and in consequence of the suc- 

 cession of instances of murder and rapine, a Council 

 was convened at Malacca io take the same into 

 consideration. One of the Chiefs, named Merali 

 Tuan Lei'a Mriharajah. had been banished from 



