226 
SUMATRA. 
of lignum aloes and gum lac, the produce of his -country ; but Albo- 
querque fufpe6:ing the honefty of his intentions^ and fearing that he 
cither afpired to the crown of Malacca, or defigned to entice the mer- 
chants to refort to his own kingdom^ refufed to permit his coming, and 
gave the luperintendance of the natives to a perfon named Nina Che- 
tuait* After fome years had elapfed, at the time when Jorge Albo- 
querque was governor of Malacca, this king (Abdallah by name) per- 
fifting in his views, paid him a vifit, and was honorably received. At 
his departure, he had alTurances given him of liberty to eftablifli him- 
felf at Malacca, if he ihould think proper, and Nina Chettian was 
ihortly afterwards removed from his office, though no fault was alledged 
againft him. He took the difgrace fo much to heart, that caufmg apile 
to be ereded before his door, and fetting fire to it, he threw himfelf 
into the flames,* The intention of appointing Abdallah to the office of 
bandara, was quickly rumoured abroad, and coming to the knowledge 
of the king of Binrang, who was driven from Malacca, and now carried 
on a vigorous war againft the Portuguefe, under the command of the 
famous Lacf manna ^ he refolved to prevent his arrival there. For this 
purpofe he leagued himfelf with the king of Llngen, a neighbouring 
iJland, and fent out a fleet of feventy armed boats to block up the port 
of Cam par. By the valor of a fmall Portuguefe armament, this force 
was overcome in the river of that name, and the king condu*^d in tri* 
umph to Malacca, where he was invcftcd in form with the important poJft he 
afpired to. But this facrifice of his independence proved an unfortunate 
meafure to him ; for although he conduced himfelf in fuch a manner 
as ihould have given the ampleft fatisf action, and appears to have been 
irreproachable m the execution of his truft, yet in the following year 
the Idng of Bintang found means to infpire the governor with diffi- 
dence of his fidelity, and jealoufy of his power. He was cruelly fen* 
tenced to death, without the fimpleft forms of juftice, and perifhed in 
• This man was not a Mahometan, but one of the unconverted natircs of the peninfula, 
vho are always difting^iihfd from the Malays by the Portuguefe writers. I have fomc doubt 
whether the term Mal^o is at all ap|)Ucablc to the inland people^ or their countr^f. 
the 
