DR. Epp's ACCOUNT OF BANKA. 
337 
{ Before proceeding to Dr. Horsfield’s Report we shall give an 
extract from Dr. Epp’s Schilderungen aus Ostindiens Archipel 
which brings down the history of the island to a recent period, and 
furnishes a graphic picture of the mode of life of a Dutch official 
there at the present day.] 
Bankii was early known to the Europeans. The strait was the common 
passage for vessels to China, Japan and Malacca. In the year 1668 the 
united Dutch East India Company took the islands of Banka and Biliton 
(then governed by a Sultan) under their protection. Some years after¬ 
wards they both came into possession of the Sultan of Plembang; with one 
of those Sultans the Dutch East India Company in the year 1777 entered 
into a treaty for the monopoly of the tin. This Sultan owed his election to 
the throne of Plembang to the Dutch. In 1811 one of his successors mur- 
dered the Dutch in a cruel manner. 
The sons and princes of the Sultan were usually nominated chiefs of his 
different possessions. Thus the chiefs of Banka descended from Plem¬ 
bang, and governed the island as vassals of the Sultan with the title of Di- 
patti. The form of the government was originally a patriarchal one, however 
often degenerated into despotism 3 so that the people of Banka frequently ex¬ 
perienced heavy oppressions, owing to the Dipatti’s not having regular re¬ 
venues, and being left to their own measures for securing their means of 
existence. After the occupation of Java by the English (1811) the peo¬ 
ple of Plembang shew ed an inimical disposition towards the Dutch, who 
consisted for the greatest part of merchants, besides a small garrison, and 
were settled opposite Plembang in a factory. Nothing less was con¬ 
templated than their total extirpation. The Sultan deceitfully offered 
his aid to save them in praus and carry them to Batavia, but by the 
instigation of the Demang Osman (one of the Sultan’s councillors) the 
vessels were pierced and sunk with the Dutch who w r ere steeping, in 
the Punsang (mouth of the ri ver of Plembang). This was effected by the 
commanders of the praus, who took out the stoppers which closed the 
holes. They counted on obtaining by this infamous proceeding the ap¬ 
proval of the English Government at Batavia, who got rid by this means 
• of a number of troublesome prisoners of war. The latter, however, 
outraged at such a crime, sent an expedition against the Sultan for 
his punishment and deposition from the throne. Although they did not 
* Heidelberg, 1841, 
