THE REl^ORMEBS OF KOKLXCHL 



471 



whetlier tliat place or Pagamyong was the more an- 

 cient site is undecided. 



The fii'st European who reached this region was 

 Sii- Stamford Raffles in 1818. He had the good for- 

 tune to discover at Snrnasa two inscriptions on stone 

 in the Kawi, or ancient Javanese chai'acter, thereby 

 proving that the early civilization of Java was trans- 

 planted to this land. At Pagaruyong he also dis- 

 covered a Hindn image^ " chastely and beautifully 

 carved, corresponding with those discovered in Java, 

 and evidently the woi'k of similar artists and the ob- 

 ject of a smiilar woi-ship." Thus the ancient religion, 

 as well as the ancient language of Java, was adopted 

 to some extent by the early inhabitants of this coun- 

 tiy. 



There appears to be no reason why we should 

 suppose that Mohammedanism was first introduced 

 into Java and thence brought to this laud, as there 

 is in the case of the Hinduism that prevailed here 

 centuiies ago. We may i-ather infer that soon after 

 that religion had found folio wei-s o;i the noi-th coast, 

 its teachers were not long in making their way into 

 the Meuangkabau couiitiy, the influence and reputed 

 wealth of which must have been pictured to them in 

 the most glowing colors as soon as they fii'st landed 

 at Achin. 



About the year 1807 three native pilgi'ims re- 

 turned from Mecca to their homes on the shores of 

 Lake Koriuchi, ^vhich is situated about thirty miles 

 southeast of the great mountain of Talang. As they 

 had just left the gi-ave of theu prophet, they burned 

 with zeal to discipline their lax countrymen, and to 



