290 SUMATRA. 
TelinquUli his crown^ and fly for protcdlon to the fultan of Jamhie^ 
Thither a number of armed praws were fent, with a requifition to the 
fultan to deliver up the fugitive. That monarch, on the contrary, de- 
clared his intention of fupporting the younger brother's claim, and cap- 
tured the veiRls. The king of Pakmba^/g^ apprehenfive that this hoftile 
proceeding would be followed by an attack on his country, was, about 
the year 1777, employed in colleding a large quantity of ftoncs, in 
order to block up two of the mouths of the river ; obliging each of 
the chiefs to contribute according to the. number of their dependants % 
and fortified the third. This relation I have on the authority of an in- 
telligent Malay. 
Jw»bee» Jambee was formerly a place of conliderable note, and both the En- 
glifh and Dutch Companies had eftablifhmcnts there* The town is fitu- 
ated about fixty miles from the fea, on a large river.* The trade confifts 
in gold duft, pepper and canes, but it is now efteemed of little im- 
portance, the gold being moftly drawn to the weftern coaft, acrofs the 
country. There are many other petty Maiay ftates> at every large 
river on that fide of the ifland, but the extent of their refpedive powers 
are little known, their ports beiner feldom frpqii**nfed Mcept by the Citffg 
(Tdinga) or Moor veflels. Sometimes, but rarely, a private trading Ihip 
from Bengal^ endeavors to difpofe, at thcfe places, of a few cheils of 
opium, but the captains fcarcely ever venture on fhore, and deal witli 
fuch of the Malays as come off, at the fwords point ; fo ftrong is the idea 
of their treacherous charafler* They are generally at war with the inland 
people, who confine them to the fea coaft, and in fome parts to the mere 
rivers. The principal of thefe are Indergeree, Siak and Banco Bara, 
The river i^^c*Jff, fituated between the two latter, and which is confiderahly 
the largeft in the iflatid, is defcribed to be fo rapid, and attended with 
fo great a fwell, where it encounters the tide at the nnouth, as to be 
unfit for navigation. The country of Aru or R&it^ often mentioned 
by the Portuguefe hiftorians, borders on its banks. -f Campar, another 
kingdom once famous, is fallen into obfcurity. 
• A PortTjguefe fquadron, in 1629, was twenty two ^ays employed in getting vpthis river, in 
ordtr to deflfoy Ctrne Dutth ftiipi that were flieltered near the town* Faria y Sou fa, vol. ni. 
t I turf>e£t that the modern name of this river, Racan, or ArracsXf as it \% fpelt in fojjie 
rfiarts, is an European conrupuoa of the word Mu, Mfndez Pinto %s, that the town of Am 
HcxkI 
