ETHNOLOGICAL NOTES 
151 
Deri Sambas angkat laki astiri 
Di tanjong Datu, membuat negri 
Negri d’buat kampong halanuin* 
Serta dengan kabun tanaman 
Chukup lah dengan kolam minuman 
Ayernya tawar sejok dan nyaman. 
Negri pun suda skalian nya 
Radin beralih pula nama nya 
Sebab krana melindong diri nya 
Kepada orang yang tahu asalnya 
Datu Merpati nama Radin Johari 
Datu Permaisouri nama astiri 
Kedua nya masing masing mengalih kadiri 
Jangan kadengar ka Johor negri 
Katanya orang yang mencharita 
Tanjong Datu dialah menamanya 
Di situ-lah asal mula negri 
Masih skarang akan kubor nya. 
From Sambas Country ’cross the Border line, 
Datu Merpati and his wife, one time, 
To Tanjong Datu journeyed, (so they tell), 
Built many houses and a drinking well ; 
Sowed rice, made lawns, nor left they any waste— 
So was the water cool and fresh to taste. 
Now everything was finished in the town, 
But fearing lest his friends might e’er come down 
And take from him his right—for this in brief 
Was his desire, that he should be the chief— 
As Radin Johari he was known in life, 
And Datu Permaisouri was his wife. 
They hid all traces of their life before 
That they should ne’er be heard of in Johore. 
The Poet says, and this perhaps is true, 
This is the reason it was named Datu : 
And so Sarawak springs from this same place. 
His grave is there, a simple shaded space. 
For the poetical rendering of this translation I am 
indebted to W. R. Barry Gifford Esq. of the Sarawak 
Service. 
E. Parnell. 
Halaman — the space in front of a house. 
