SUMATRA, 
In fa^ the word ^* Malay " all over the eaft, no longer denotes an in- General ac* 
habitant of Malays^ ftridly, nor one clainiinghis defcent from thence; Jheword°^ 
but a perfon vvhofe language and religion are the fame with theirs. Thus " ^^^^y-'* 
every black Chrijtian is called, in India^ a Pcriugusfiy though his vcms 
boaft not a drop of European blood. The entire conformity of thofe 
people with the real Malayan would induce us to think, on a fuperficial Opinion th^t 
view,^ that they are, altogether, no other than a colony from the penin- f^^^^^^"^ 
fula; or that an army from thence* conquered that part of the illand, froaMalayo* 
and extirpated the ancient inhabitants : to which 0^)1 nion feme have 
added a conjecture; founded however on no hiftory or tradition that 
the fir ft fultan was a defcendant of the Caliphs^ and fettling in Sumatra, 
acq^uircd extenfive authority, as fome others of that defcription, deno- 
minated Xirlffsy have down to the eaftward. But to thefe hypothecs, 
there are ftrong objections* The idea entertained by the people, and objeftfons to 
ftrcngthened by the glimmering lights that the old writers afford us, ^'"^ <^9^ion* 
befpcak an antiquity to this empire that ilretches far beyond the pro, 
bable a*ra of the eftabUfliment of Mahomcnatifm in the ifland. This 
antiquity is proved by the cxtenfive and acknowledged jurifdidtion of 
Menanzcabem, at a period fo early, that when the Europeans fir ft vifited 
Sumatra, about the year 1500, it was then in the wane. The fuperfti- 
tious veneration for that ancient monarchy extends itfelf, not only 
where ^lahomenatifm has made a progrefs, but among the Batias, and 
other people not tinctured with that faith ; which would not be likely 
to attend the government of a foreign intruder, \Yho introduced a reli- 
gion which they have refufed to accept. So memorable an event wouid 
certainly have been long prefer ved by regular tradition, and fome traces 
of it would have been difcoverable, even at this time. The fultan^ in 
the lift of his titles, would not fail, any more than the XerifFs in the 
eaftj to boaft of this facred cxtrad:ion from the royal prophet, which 
he does not at all allude to.. The moft intelligent Indians whom I have 
confulted on this head ; among whom was Raddeeny before mentioned, 
who as a prince himfelf, was convcrfant in thefe topics ; poficively af- 
fcrted, that Mimncahcw is an original Sumatrm empire, antecedent to the 
introduction. of the Arabian fahhj inftruded, but in no lhape conquered^ 
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