Malay Annals. Anonymous

eldest son, Bichitram Shah, he only conferred a territory of small extent; and the young prince being displeased at this measure, resolved to abandon his country. Bichitram Shah accordingly embarked, with twenty vessels fitted out with all the apparatus of war, determining to conquer all the maritime districts.

      After conquering several scores of countries, he at last reached the sea denominated Silbou, where, being caught in a dreadful hurricane, his fleet was dispersed, and the half of them returned to the country of Chandukani, but the fate of the other half is unknown. The adventures of this prince were very numerous, but here they are only alluded to briefly.

      Chapter 2

       Table of Contents

      THERE is a country in the land of Andalas named Paralembang, which is at present denominated Palembang, the raja of which was denominated Damang Lebar Dawn, (Chieftain Broad-leaf,) who derived his origin from Raja Sulan, (Chilian ?) whose great-grandson he was. The name of its river was Muartatang, into which falls another river named Sungey Malayu, near the source of which is a mountain named the mountain Sagantang Maha Miru.

      There were two young women of Belidung, the one named Wan-Ampu, and the other Wan-Malin, employed in cultivating rice on this mountain, where they had large and productive rice-grounds. One night they he held their rice-fields gleaming and glittering like fire. Then said Ampu to Malin, "What is that light which is so brilliant? I am frightened to look at it." "Make no noise," said Malin, " it is some great snake or naga." Then they both lay quiet for fear.

      When it was daylight, they arose and went to see what it was shone so bright during the night. They both ascended the hill, and found the grain of the rice converted into gold, the leaves into silver, and the stalks into brass, and they were extremely surprised, and said, " This is what we observed during the night." They advanced a little farther up the hill, and saw all the soil of the mountain of the colour of gold.

      And on the ground which had assumed this golden colour, they saw three young and handsome men. One of them had the dress of a raja, and was mounted on a bull, white as silver; and the other two were standing on each side of him, one of them holding a sword, and the other a spear. Ampu and Malin were greatly surprised at the handsomeness of the young men, and their elegant apparel; and immediately thought that they must be the cause of the phenomenon which had appeared on their rice-grounds. They immediately inquired who they were, whence they had come, and whether they were Jins or Peris ; for as long as they had remained in this place they had never seen any of the race of man until that day.

      The person in the middle answered, " We are neither of the race of Jins nor Peris, but that of men. As to our origin we are the descendants of Raja Secander Zulkarneini, and the offspring of Raja Suran, the king of the east and west; our genealogy ascends to Raja Suleiman. My name is Bichitram Shah, who am raja; the name of this person is Nila Pahlawan; and the name of the other, Carna Pandita. This is the sword, Chora sa mendang kian, and that is the lance, Limbuar; this is the signet, Cayu Gampit, which is employed in correspondence with rajas." " If you are the descendants of Raja Secander," said the girls, "what is the cause of your coming thither?"

      Then Nila Pahlawan related the whole story of Raja Secander's espousing the daughter of Raja Kida Hindi, and of Raja Suran's descent into the sea. Then Ampu and Malin asked what proofs they could produce of the truth of this relation : "Ladies," said Nila Pahlawan, " this crown is an evidence of descent from Raja Secander. If any farther evidence is wanting, consider the phenomenon which you have seen on your rice-grounds in coming hither."

      Then the girls were rejoiced, and invited them to their house, whither they proceeded, he of the centre being mounted on the white steer. Then Ampu and Malin returned, and cut the paddy for their food. The name of the prince they changed into Sangsapurba. The bull which was his conveyance, vomited foam, from which emerged a man named Bat'h, with an immense turban, who immediately stood up, and began to recite the praises of Sangsapurba, (which he does very ingeniously in the Sanscrit language *.)

      The title which the raja received from this Bat'h, (Bard), was Sang-sapurba Trimarti trib'huvena. From this Bat'h or Bard are descended the original reciters of Cheritras, or histories of the ancient time. NilaPahlawan and CarnaPandita were then married by Bat'h to the young females, Wan Ampu and Wan Malin; and their male offspring were denominated by Sangsapurba, Baginda Awang, and the female offspring, Baginda Dara; and hence the origin of all the Awangs and Daras.

      At last the chief, Damang Lebar Dawn, discovered that the two girls, Ampu and Malin, had found a young raja, who had descended from the regions of the atmosphere, and he proceeded accordingly to pay his respects with numerous and rich presents. He was very courteously received by the young prince. It was soon noised over the whole country, that a descendant of Raja Secander Zulkarneini had descended on the mountain Sagantang Maha Miru, and all the rajas of the neighbouring countries came, with rich presents, to pay their respects to him, and were most courteously received by him. As he wanted to marry, they all brought him their daughters; but as they were not of proper rank for such a noble prince, as soon as they associated with him they were stricken with a leprosy, as with a plague sent as a curse, to the number of thirty-nine.

      According to the persons from whom the author derives his information, the raja of the country of Palembang, which was formerly of such great extent, had a daughter of extreme beauty, named Wan Sundaria. Then Ampu and Malin made obeisance to Sangsapurba, and represented to him that Damang Lebar Dawn had a daughter: Sangsapurba accordingly sent to ask her in marriage, but he excused himself, alledging that she would probably be struck with sickness, and that he would only resign her to him as a wife on certain conditions: these conditions were, that on Sangsapurba marrying his daughter, all the family of Damang Lebar Dawn should submit themselves to him; but that Sangsapurba should engage, both for himself and his posterity, that they should receive a liberal treatment; and in particular, that when they committed faults they should never be exposed to shame nor opprobrious language, but if their faults were great, that they should be put to death according to the law.

      Sangsapurba agreed to these conditions, but he requested, in his turn, that the descendants of Damang Lebar Dawn should never move any treasonable practices against his descendants, even though they should become tyrannical. "Very well," said Damang Lebar Dawn, "but if your descendants break your agreements, probably mine will do the same." These conditions were mutually agreed to, and the parties swore to perform them, imprecating the divine vengeance to turn their authority upside down who should infringe these agreements.

      From this condition it is that none of the Malay rajas ever expose their Malay subjects to disgrace or shame; they never bind them, nor hang them, nor give them opprobrious language; for whenever a raja exposes his subjects to disgrace, it is the certain token of the destruction of his country: hence also it is, that none of the Malay race ever engage in rebellion, or turn their faces from their own rajas, even though their conduct be bad, and their proceedings tyrannical.

      After this agreement, Damang Lebar Dawn delivered his daughter, Wan Sundaria, in marriage to Sangsapurba, who returned with her to his country. After associating with the raja, it was found that she had escaped the curse of leprosy which had afflicted his former wives; to his great satisfaction, he immediately sent to inform Damang Lebar Dawn of the circumstance, who came with great haste, and was rejoiced to find her in excellent health. In his great joy he requested him to pack up his baggage, and return with him to Palembang. To this proposition Sangsapurba agreed.

      After his return to Palembang, Damang Lebar Dawn ordered a splendid bathing-house to be constructed, and the architect was the aforesaid Bath. This bathing house was named Pancha Presadha, and it had seven stories, and terminated in five towers on the roof. A public festival was then made for the space of forty days and forty nights, which was attended by all the inferior rajas, mantris, seda sidas, or eunuchs, bantaras, champions, and commons in general. There was playing and music on all kinds of instruments that ever were heard of, and what a carnage of buffaloes, kine, goats, and sheep. The heaps of half-burnt rice rejected, lay like hillocks, and the skimming of the foam of the rice-broth stood in little seas; and in these were floating the heads of buffaloes and goats like