2«S 
S U M A T R £, 
Malay gO'uernmetUs — Empire of Memngcahw— Extent cf thi 
Suit an'* s a7icknt and prefent po'wer — ISs titles — Literature and 
Arts among Ji the people — Period of corwerjion to Mahomet anijm— 
General acceptation of the ivord Malay — Conflitution of their 
flates — Bi ncoolen — Indrapour — Anac Soongey— Palembang^ 
Jamdee^ Gfr. 
MaJ^B* I SHALL DOW take a view of the il/^/^ry governments, as di ft in- 
guilhed from thofe of the more genuine Sumatrans, who, by the Ma- 
lays, are named erang ogIqo^ or countrymcnj and fomctimes, Qrmg dso- 
fom^ from their refiding in villages fo called. 
Empire of Me* principal feat of empire of the Malays, and of the whole ifland, 
oaBgtabow. M^nangcabow, This lies near the center, extending partly to the 
northward, but chiefly to the fouthward of the equinoctial, about fixty 
or an hundred miles. Such are the limits that now confine a monarchy, 
^hCkfe jurifdiAicm Sartn^rly comprehended a\\ Sumatra^ and whofc fo- 
vereign was talked of with refpedt in the fartheft parts of the eaft. The 
country is, generally fpeaking, a large plain, bounded by hills, clear of 
woods, and, comparatively, well cultivated* It has an eafy communi- 
cation with both fides of the ifland, lying nearer to the weftcrn coafl, 
but having the advantage, to the eaft, of the large rivers, Racan^ Inder- 
gerci, Siak^ Jamhcy and even Falemhangy with which it is faid to have 
connexion, by means of a lake, that gives fource to the two laft, as well 
as to the river of Ca:town on the oppofite fide. Colonies of Malays from 
Mm.i^gca- cw^ are fettled on fevcral branches of Jamba river, or rather 
thofe fmail rivers which run into it, of Lmwony Batang Afy^ Pacallang- 
]i^mb(^7^ and fome others. Here they colled: large quantities of gold. 
The name of Me^^augcabcm is faid to be derived from the words " me^ 
ff^8. to win, and " carl ffw^" a buffaloe ; from a ftory, which car- 
ries a very fabulous air, of a famous engagement on that fpot, between 
the 
