ORIGIN OP THE BINl'AS, 
243 
who are living near to Malacca: those who are found in the Johore 
territory; and those who are spread over Johore, Rumbow, Sungie 
Ujong, Jellabu and the neighbouring places. 
Under the first head I will comprise those I visited, near Reim, 
at Ayer Baro, Gassing, Kommendar, Bukit Singhi,; on the river of 
Muar, near Pankalang kota, at Poglialay, Sagil, Lemon, Segamon, 
a few families in the small river of Pago and several other scattered 
individuals. 
Amongst these tribes, who in number amount altogether to about 
* 
three hundred persons only, I found a tradition which would make them 
to be descendants of Portuguese, and to which the following relates. 
A few months after my arrival here, an inhabitant of Malacca, in or¬ 
der to satisfy my curiosity, brought to me two of these Jaku ns, as a 
specimen of the race; it was not without considerable difficulty that he 
could induce these children of nature to accompany him to the ci¬ 
vilised town, being much more delighted with the rude aspect of their 
thick jungle, than with the extensive view of our open places ; but 
after several promises they took their way to Malacca; and recollec¬ 
ting a tradition they received, as they say, from their forefathers they 
asked that when arrived at the town, they should be allowed to look 
at the likeness of their ancestors, which would be found at the upper 
part of the door of the fortress. These people when questioned be¬ 
fore me declared the same. And in fact, upon the old gate which 
remains until this day as a remembrance of the ancient fort, are seen 
sculptured figures representing a king and a queen of Portugal. 
Many others whom I questioned on the same subject assured me 
that they were descendants of orang puti, that is, of Europeans. 
Several persons have related to me that a report exists that at dif¬ 
ferent times descendants of Euiopeans after having committed crimes, 
had fled into the interior of the Peninsula and established themselves, 
there, in order to avoid the punishment of the laws. 
Besides I remarked that these Jakuns whom I speak of now, have 
the general physical appearance, the lineaments, and chiefly the form 
and the colour of the body entirely similar to those of the common 
and low class amongst the Portuguese of Malacca, 
