3-68 SUMATRA. 
The jKirport of the enit>affy was to obtam liberty to txtd: a fortifica- 
tion in her territory, which ihe peremptorily refufcd, being contrary to 
the eftabliilied rules of the kingdom ; adding, that if the governor of 
Madras would fill her palace with gold^ flie could not permit him to 
build with brick, cither fort or houfe. To have a fadrory of timber 
and plank, was the utmofl: indulgence that could be ailowcd ; and on 
that footing, the return of the Englilb, who had not traded there for 
many years, ihould be welcomed with great friendihip. The queen 
Jierfelf, the orang cayos rcprefented, was not allowed to fortify, Iczik fomc 
foreign power might avail thcmfelves of ir^ to enllavc the country* In 
the courfe of thefe negotiations it was mentioned, that the agriculture 
of Acheen had fuffered confiderably of late years, by reafon of a gene- 
ral iieenfe given to all the inhabitants to fearch for gold, in the moun- 
tains and rivers which afforded that article ; whereas the bufincfs had for* 
merly been rcftricted to certain authorized perfons, and the reft obliged 
to till the ground. It like wife appeared, that through the weaknefs of 
it's government, and the encroachments of the Dutch, the extent of it's 
ancient dominion was much reduced, and no abfolute jurifdiction was 
TfiS4, claimed more diftant than Pedeer. The court feared to give a public 
fandion for the fettlement of the Englifh on any part of the fouthern 
coafl:, left it fhould embroil them with the other European power." * 
The 
of Mr. OriS, if it were no affi-ont to liimi that he would take off hh perriwig, that flie might 
fee how he appeared without ii ; which accordingly to her majeQy's tequcd he did. She iTicn told 
US ihe had heard of our bufmefs, aad would giye her anfwer by the orang cayos j and fo wc re- 
tired*" I venture, with fubmifHon^ toobfcive> chat this acecdote fcems ^to put the queiftipn of 
the fcx beyond controveriy. 
^ India Company's records. 
*. .The defign of fettling a fafbo^y at this period, in the dominions of Ac&ffH, was occationed by 
the recent loft of our eftabhjQimcot at Bafilam, which had been originally fixed by Sir James 
I.ancai\er in i6oj- The circumftances of this event were as follows. The old Sultan had 
thotjght proper to ihare the regal powtr with his Ton, in the year 1G77, and this n^cafore was 
attended -with the obvious effeflr, of a jealoufy between the parent and clul^, which fbon broke 
fotth into open hoftilities. The policy of the Dutch led them to take an aftire part in favor of 
the young fultan, who had inclined mod to their interefts, and now foHcited their aid. The 
£nglifh, on the other band, difcouraged what appeared to tliem an unnatural rebellion, but with- 
out 
