140 



An Essay on Early Relations [No. 37, 



Though the common meaning of Datu be different ; yet the word is 

 used, in a Tamil version of the Bhagavata, for benefactor (Euergetes), 

 and that would appear to be the meaning in Sumatra. At p. 177, 

 there is Tuanko long Putih. Pate is often used ; but whether for 

 putra a son, or pati a Lord, I would not determine ; though proba- 

 bly the latter. At p. 243, among names of Batta villages are these, 

 Nembeki, Beca Raja, Lingapora, Kola Tumburu. The first is a 

 Tamil word for confidence, trust ; the italics sufficiently designate 

 the other words. At p. 251, the disputed term Nagasaribu occurs, 

 as the name of a Karan chief. It cannot therefore be used as a nu- 

 meral, in any other sense than " the thousand headed snake." (V. 

 Introduction.) It appears from p. 291 that historical or romantic 

 tales are termed Chcritra, as in India. 



Passing by some minor references I advert to the Appendix. A 

 defaced Hindu image was found near the mosque in the town of 

 Jambi, which led to the discovery of several others. One was evi- 

 dently Bauddhist in character ; and one was clearly an image of 

 Nandi the bull of Siva. The natives have no idea of the origin of 

 those images, but call them chess men of the giants, or genii ; nor 

 could they point out the ruins of the temple to which they belonged, 

 though the former existence of one, of considerable dimensions, is 

 indicated by a number of stone slabs, and carved ornaments convert- 

 ed to various purposes in different parts of the town. The material, 

 a dark coloured fine granite, is not found within a considerable dis- 

 tance of Jambi ; probably not nearer than the central chain of moun- 

 tains. 



As I am arguing out a particular point, and have an object to 

 prove, my judgment may be suspected ; yet I cannot persuade my- 

 self that any impartial person would form any other conclusion from 

 the above data (supposing that they stood alone, and also that Mr. 

 Anderson had first discovered the island of Sumatra in 1823) than 

 this, that at some anterior, and probably very ancient period, the 

 people denominated Hindus had been in Sumatra ; and that too in 

 considerable numbers : though whether direct, or via Java, from Mr. 

 Anderson's book alone, would not be apparent. 



Reverting now from the ultra to the intr a G angelic nations, in this 

 place I may introduce an extract from the preface to Wilson's Sans- 

 crit Dictionary, 1st edition, page xx. 4 The time thus made out 



