Page 48 A History of Perak.
finished and has been made solid and
strong by the work put into it (according to the model given to us by the
Governor Balthasar Bort and the Council of Malacca). You shall therefore take
up your abode there and take special heed to carry out the following points of
order, carefully to maintain and duly to fulfil them.
" In the first place you shall allow all people of
nations with whom we are at peace, both Europeans, viz., English, French and
Danes, and also Indian peoples to draw water on said island, to cut fire- and
other light wood, as also to provide and refresh themselves from the hardships
of the sea at their convenience and pleasure without causing any of them in so
doing the least annoyance or hindrance, or suffering such to be done to them by
your people, no matter what show of justice there might be for it. You must,
however, take care that very large and heavy trees suitable for the making of
ship's masts, and also redwood trees, are cut and carried away as little as
possible on said island by any of said people, excusing your refusal with all
politeness by affirming the superior need of the Honourable Company itself.
" But if any of said people have lost any of their
masts, yards, etc. through storms or otherwise and have no others to set up in
their place, you shall, in such a case of need, have it in your power to grant
them permission to provide themselves with the necessary masts, yards and other
things of the kind, so as to be able duly to complete their voyage.
" But you must try to accustom said people, one as much
as another, to do or carry out nothing on said Dingding, unless they have first
asked for and got your consent thereto, so that you may always know who is on
or at the said island and then you can, to some extent, regulate their action
according as those people are more or less trustworthy.
" All Malay, Javanese or other vessels belonging to
Indians, which approach or pass Dingding in the channel in great numbers, must
be hailed or signalled to with one or two musketshots, so that the nachodas or
chiefs may come ashore to you with their praos. You must then ask them whence
they come and whither they are going, demanding their passes in a friendly way.
If they possess and show them, you must let them go their way unhindered.
" If, as does happen, it is believed that vessels,
especially those belonging to inhabitants of Queda, are returning empty from
Pera, and make an attempt to load with tin between the Pera river and the
island of Dingding, especially in an inlet on a piece of flat ground called
Heckeren and inhabited by various men of Pera, in order to export it to places
to the North, then you shall be authorized, when they come to Dingding, to have
them examined in a perfectly amicable way, even if they have passes, and to do
this, especially in the case of such as are going to Queda, and appear to some
The Dutch and Perak. Page 49
extent to have a cargo; any tin
found in them you may land, directing the owners to the Pera blockading force
for payment. But you understand, this must be done only if no evident danger is
to be seen or suspected in the detention and examination and in the removal of
the tin, otherwise such vessels had better be left alone and an endeavour made,
before the departure of the same, by some means or other to inform the chief of
the Pera blockading force.
" The vessels which have no pass and intend to voyage
further than Pera, you must have brought to anchor at Dingding and made to lie
there, especially if they are large and have a cargo, the nachodas being
ordered to go with their own prao and men to the Pera river (which, with the
tide, is only 3 hours' hard rowing away) and fetch safe conduct passes from the
Dutch chief on the yacht lying in the blockade. He will no doubt give you
orders as to what you are to do or leave alone.
" You must, above all, take good care that the people
of Pera or any other people with whom we are at peace, or at any rate not
openly at war, are not treated rudely, insolently or vexatiously by you or the
common soldiers under you, much less that any act of open enmity in word or
deed is committed, so as not to disturb the people's minds or give them any
reason or cause for aversion to you.
" Still you must, on occasion, in kindly and honourable
terms, defend the Company's right and just claims and try, as regards the
foreigners passing by, to make yourself agreeable and, at the same time, with
all courtesy, to do the duty now imposed on you and any that shall be ordered
in the future.
" Nevertheless you must also, by a constant good watch
by night as much as by day and the maintenance of your arms in readiness, see
to being always on guard and ready for all open enemies and false friends, so
as to make defence and to oppose force with force against any who attack and
treat you as enemies, trusting no foreigner over much, but considering that you
have to deal with Malays, some of whom are bad and malignant and are actually
very desirous of depriving Christians of their lives and property, as various
grievous examples have given clear evidence.
" In order to prevent all conceivable and inconceivable
mishaps, you shall allow no one to go or voyage elsewhere except duly armed and
provided with a gun (of which the natives are very much afraid) and each with a
stout broad sword. Moreover you must, if any of your men are away from the
house in another bay, be mindful always to have some men armed as above in the
prao while the others fish or carry out any other task assigned to them.
" As interpreter with the Malays and other peoples, you
can employ the sailor Diego from Bengal, who is fairly well acquainted with the
language and has been expressly assigned to you for that purpose.
Page 50 A History of Perak.
" Besides aforesaid sailor and yourself, there are 13
persons under your orders, to wit:
1 Corporal
10 Soldiers and
2 Slaves of the Company, one being a joiner.
" You must live with them as befits honest folk,
preventing all strife, disputes, wrangling and fighting, but making each man
fulfil what is necessary and has been laid upon him.
" Above all you must not neglect divine worship, but
have the usual prayers said morning and evening. On Sunday you must also have a
sermon read and then God the Lord will graciously preserve and bless you all.
" On weekdays, when there is no more necessary work to
be done, you must try to make the flat piece of ground, on which said house is
built, larger and larger. You must also plant and sow it with all sorts of
fruit trees and also vegetables, for which purpose you shall be provided with
garden seeds from Malacca, as opportunity offers. Which fruit and vegetables
must be used for the food and maintenance in health of yourself and our men in
the Pera blockading force together with the passing ships, but especially for
men who are sickly.
" The flag on the staff in front of said level ground
you must fly only on Sunday and not on weekdays except when ships or vessels
are sighted; at nightfall, and during the day also when it rains, it must be brought
in, so that said flag may last the longer.
" There are in the house for your use the following
necessaries:
2 small boxes of assorted nails
6 iron shod spades
6 pickaxes
12 axes
2 crowbars
12 cane baskets
1 prao
1 seine net
300 musket balls
100 lbs. of gunpowder and
4 bundles of matches.
" You must above all take good care that there is no
neglect of these things, nor needless squandering of the provisions. Other
necessaries which you will need or receive, you shall be provided with by the
chief of the Pera blockading force. He is at present the junior merchant, Sr.
Adriaan van der Walle; you are under
The Dutch and Perak. Page 51
his command and must consequently be
obedient to him and pay him due honour and respect; you must also carry out the
orders he shall in the future think good to give you in addition to those of
this memorandum against all irregularities and evil courses, which cannot now
be known but with experience will manifest themselves.
" Relying hereupon and on what has been briefly cited
above, we commend you all to God's holy protection and remain your friend
(Signed) Jacob Martensz. Schaagen. Dingdingh, in the yacht De Meyboom, 21st Oct. 1670."
So much for general orders in the most sanctimonious period
the world can have ever seen, these rules for the preservation of chartered
piracy, true religion and the flag at the Dindings station!
The Dagh-Register
under August 1678 and the Plakaatboek under
9 August 1678 confirm Bort that the burghers and inhabitants of Malacca might
not go to Perak or any other port on the west coast of the Peninsula, nor to
Johor or Pahang "except with Company's piece-goods bought and paid
for." Owing to the number of Indian ships at Malacca and adjacent places, the
Council decided that all Moors and others coming from Coromandel without Dutch
passes should be arrested and that all those who had passes should pay 20%
import and export duties. On 1 December 1678 an assistant, Hendrik Warnaer,
reached the Perak court in the Dinghdingh
(boat of the blockading yacht Laaren)
with a complimentary letter from Governor Jacob Jorisse Pitz to the king and a
request for tin. After he had been kept idly waiting for eleven days, Warnaer
asked permission to return, but the king retorted that while Perak envoys had
been detained at Malacca for one or two months Warnaer was impatient over
waiting twelve days or so. The Dutch assistant waited. Still no letter for the
Governor and no tin for the Company. Again Warnaer craved leave to depart. He was
told to wait four days more and was promised tin but the king was angry. At the
end of December Warnaer arranged to send a surgeon later for the king's reply
and got leave to return down-stream. Near Tongtongh a sturdy boat belonging to
the Bendahara was pretending to load durians. It came close to the Dinghdingh and asked for a light which
the cautious helmsman refused. But Warnaer ran his boat alongside and stood up
to pass a light to the Perak skipper (Nakhoda),
who thereupon creesed him and three of his crew. The helmsman and one sailor
swam ashore and hid three days in the jungle, after which they returned to the
court where the king professed ignorance of the whole affair, although the boat
of the aggressors being mastless and oarless and having only paddles cannot
have been a foreign sea-going craft. However, to show his innocence, the wily
king lent the helmsman a prahu with
seven men to look for the Dinghdingh,
which was found empty except for the four corpses. A Perak Moor, Sedalebe,
brought the two survivors to Malacca.
Page 52 A History of Perak.
On 16 February 1680 the king of Perak sent envoys to Malacca
to seek the Company's friendship and on 20 April they brought a royal mandate
authorising Adriaen Wylant, head officer at the mouth of the Perak river, as
follows:—" At one o'clock on Sunday 1092, on 11 Rabul Awel or April, I
Paducca Siry Sulthan Mahometza Lilulla Filalem, king of the land of Perak, my
Bandara Paducca Siry Mahoraja and the other chiefs, as the head of the royal
merchants Orangcaya Paducca Raja, the treasurer Orangcaya Tommagon Siry
Mahoraja Lilla, Orangcaya Manttriy Siry Pordana Manterij, the head of the
Sitterja (? = cheteria, kshatria or
warriors) Orangcaya Raja Bandara Raja Manawarsa, the head of the royal palace
Orangcaya Paducca Siry Truan Mahoraja Lilla, head of the army Orangcaya
Laksamana, the chief secretary Abintara Maly Keleyer hereby carry out the
request of the Governor and give a sealed document to the head officer
stationed at the Perak estuary, granting him full authority to attack and take
prisoner all who may try to leave Perak without being able to show any token of
receipt " (ontjangh i.e. for
tin) " and if they happen to resist, to slay them. Verily this the seal of
me, king of the country and I have instructed Dato Bandara Paducca Siry Kara,
the secretary Siry Lilla Wangsa and all my chiefs to obey this mandate. (Sd.)
Raja Sitta (? = Setia) Muda." On 27 October, 1680 the burghers and people
of Malacca were again allowed free voyages to Siam, Arakan and Perak in the
hope of increasing the imports to their home port.
Under 6 May 1681 the Dagh-Register
records that the tin and cloth trade had dwindled from competition and
smuggling and that the sending of Perak envoys to Malacca had " vanished
in smoke." On 30 October the trade was still bad on account of the
smuggling by Acheh and Kedah, and the sloop de
Liefde was sent to blockade the Perak river. By 13 March 1682 trade had got
worse owing to the unreasonableness of the king and Adriaan Wijlant was in charge
of the blockade. The king of Perak and the Moor Sedelebes owed the Company
about 48,260 rix-dollars and on 27 December the king sent envoys to Malacca
asking the Company to take up residence in Perak again (presumably up-river)
and to let Moors from Bengal come upstream to buy elephants.
In 1689 Dampier visited the Binding Island and has left a
vivid account of his experience. " We stood in pretty near the Shore, in
Hopes to gain a fresh Land Wind. About ten a Clock the Land Wind came off, a
gentle Breeze, and we coasted along the Shore. But a small Tornado coming off
from the Shore about Midnight, we broke our Mizen Yard, and being near a Dutch
Island called Pulo Dinding, we made in for it, and anchored there the Night
ensuing, and found there a Dutch Sloop, manned with about thirty Soldiers, at
an anchor.
" This is a small Island lying so nigh the Main, that
Ships passing by cannot know it to be an Island. It is pretty high
The Dutch and Perak. Page 53
Land and well watered with Brooks.
The Mould is blackish, deep and fat in the lower Ground: but the Hills are
somewhat rocky., yet in general very woody. The Trees are of divers Sorts, many
of which are good Timber, and large enough for any use. Here are also some good
for Masts and Yards; they being naturally light yet tough and serviceable.
There is good Riding on the East-side, between the Island and the Main. You may
come in with the Sea Breeze, and go out with a Land Wind, there is Water
enough, and a secure Harbour.
" The Dutch,
who are the only Inhabitants, have a Fort on the East-side, close by the Sea,
in a Bending of the Island, which makes a small Cove for Ships to anchor in.
The Fort is built 4 square, without Flankers or Bastions, like a House: every
Square is about ten or twelve yards: The Walls are of a good Thickness, made of
Stone, and carried up to a good Height, of about thirty Foot, and covered over
Head like a dwelling House. There may be about twelve or fourteen Guns in it,
some looking out at every Square. These Guns are mounted on a strong Platform,
made within the Walls about sixteen Foot high; and there are Steps on the
Outside to ascend to the Door that opens to the Platform, there being no other
way into the Fort. Here is a Governour and about twenty or thirty Soldiers, who
all lodge in the Fort. The Soldiers have their Lodging in the Platform among
the Guns, but the Governour has a fair Chamber above it, where he lies with
some of the Officers. About a hundred Yards from the Fort on the Bay by the
Sea, there is a low timbered House, where the Governour abides all the Day
Time. Tn this House there were two or three Rooms for their Use, but the
chiefest was the Governour's Dining-Room. This fronted to the Sea, and the End
of it looked towards the Fort. There were two large Windows of about seven or
eight Foot square; the lower part of them about four or five Foot from the
Ground. These Windows were won't to be left open all the Day, to let in the
refreshing Breeze; but in the Night, when the Governour withdrew to the Fort,
they were closed with strong Shutters, and the Doors made fast till the next
day ………
" It was probably for the lucre of the Tin Trade that
the Dutch built the Fort on the
Island; but this not wholly answering their ends, by reason of the distance
between it and the Rivers mouth, which is about 4 or 5 Miles, they have also a
Guard-ship commonly lying here, and a Sloop with 20 or 30 armed Men, to hinder
other Nations from this Trade. For this Tutaneg
or Tin is a valuable Commodity in the Bay of Bengal, and here purchased
reasonably, by giving other Commodities in exchange: neither is this Commodity
peculiarly found hereabouts, but farther Northerly also on the Coast; and
particularly in the Kingdom of Queda
there is much of it: The Dutch also
commonly keep a Guard-ship, and have made some fruitless Essays to bring that
Prince and his Subjects to trade only with them; but here over against P. Binding,
Page 54 A History of Perak.
no Strangers dare approach to Trade;
neither may any Ship come in hither but with consent of the Dutch. Therefore as soon as we came to
an Anchor at the East-end of the Island, we sent our Boat a-shore to the
Governour, to desire leave to wood, water, and cut a new Mizen-yard. He granted
our request, and the Boat returned again aboard, and brought word also that Mr.
Coventry touched here to water, and
went out that Morning. The next Morning betimes Captain Minchin sent me a-shore to cut a yard. I applied myself to the
Governour, and desired one of his Soldiers might go with me, and shew me the
best Timber for that use; but he excused himself, saying, that his Soldiers
were all busy at present, but that I might go and cut any Tree that I lik'd. So
I went into the Woods, where I saw abundance of very fine strait Trees, and cut
down such a one as I thought fit for my Turn: and cutting it of a just length,
and stripping off the Bark, I left it ready to be fetched away, and returned to
the Fort, where I dined with the Governour. Presently after Dinner, our
Captain, with Mr. Richards and his
Wife came a-shore, and l went aboard. The Governour met them at Landing, and
conducted them into the Dining-Room I spoke of, where they treated the
Governour with Punch, made of Brandy, Sugar and Lime-juice, which they brought
with them from aboard: for here is nothing, not so much as the Governours
Drink, but what is brought from Malacca:
no Herbs or Fruit growing here: but all is either fetch'd from Malacca, or is
brought by the Malayans from the Main. It is not through any sterility in the
Soil, for that is very fat and fruitful: neither is it through laziness of the Dutch, for that is a Vice they are not
guilty of: but it is from a continual fear of the Malayans, with whom tho' they have a Commerce, yet dare they not
trust them so far, as to be ranging about the Island in any work of Husbandry,
or indeed to go far from the Fort for there only they are safe. But to return
to the Governour, he, to retaliate the Captain's and Mr. Richard's kindness, sent a Boat a fishing, to get some better
Entertainment for his Guests, than the Fort, yielded at present. About four or
five a-Clock the Boat returned with a good Dish of Fish. These were immediately
drest for Supper, and the Boat was sent out again to get more for Mr. Richards and his Lady to carry aboard
with them. In the mean time the Food was brought into the Dining-Room, and
placed on the Table. The Dishes and Plates were of Silver, and there was a
Silver Punch-Bowl full of Liquor. The Governour. his Guests and some of his
Officers were seated, but just as they began to fall to, one of the Soldiers
cried out Malayans, and spoil'd the
Entertainment; for immediately the Governour, without speaking one word, leapt
out of one of the Windows, to get as soon as he could to the Fort. His Officers
followed, and all the Servants that attended were soon in Motion. Every one of
them took the nearest way, some out of the Windows, others out of the Doors,
leaving the 3 Guests by themselves, who soon followed with all
The Dutch and Perak. Page 55
the haste they could make without
knowing the meaning of this Sudden Consternation of the Governour and his
people. But by that time the Captain and Mr. Richards and his Wife were got to the Fort, the Governour, who was
arrived before, stood at the door to receive them. As soon as they were entered
the Fort, the Door was shut, all the Soldiers and Servants being within
already: nor was any Man suffered to fetch away the Victuals, or any of the
Plate: but they fired several Guns to give notice to the Malayans that they were ready for them; but none
of them came on. For this Uproar was occasioned by a Malayan Canoa full of armed Men that lay
skulking under the Island, close by the Shore: and when the Dutch Boat went out the second time to
fish, the Malayans set on them
suddenly and unexpected, with their Cressets and Lances, and killing one or two
the rest leapt overboard, and got away, for they were close by the Shore: and
they having no Arms were not able to have made any resistance. It was about a
Mile from the Fort: and being landed, every one of them made what haste he
could to the Fort, and the first that arrived was he who cried in that manner,
and frighted the Governour from Supper. Our Boat was at this time a-shore for
water, and was filling it in a small Brook by the Banquetting-house. I know not
whether our Boats Crew took notice of the Alarm, but the Dutch call'd to them; and bid them make haste aboard, which they
did; and this made us keep good watch all Night, having all our Guns loaded and
primed for Service. But it rained so hard all the night, that I did not much
fear being attack'd by any Malayan;
being informed by one of our Seamen, whom we took in at Malacca, that the Malayans
seldom or never make any attack when it rains. It is what I had before observed
of other Indians, both East and West:
and tho' then they might make their Attacks with the greatest advantage on Men
armed with Hand-guns, yet I never knew it practised; at which I have wondered;
for it is then we most fear them, and they might then be most successful,
because their Arms, which are usually Lances and Cressets, which these Malayans had, could not be damaged by
the Rain, as our Guns would be. But they cannot endure to be in the Rain: and
it was in the Evening, before the Rain fell, that they assaulted the Dutch Boat. The next Morning the Dutch Sloop weighed, and went to look
after the Malayans; but having sailed
about the Island, and seeing no Enemies they anchored again. I also sent Men
ashore in our Boat to bring off the Mizen-yard that I had cut the Day before:
But it was so heavy a kind of Timber, that they could not bring it out of the
Woods. Captain Minchin was still
ashore, and he being acquainted with it, desired the Governour to send a
Soldier, to shew our Men what Trees were best for our use: Which he did, and
they presently cut a small Tree, about the bigness and length of that which I
cut, and brought it aboard. I immediately went to work, and having fitted it
for use, bent my Sail, and hoisted it up in its place. In the Evening Captain
Page 56 A History of Perak.
Minchin
and Mr. Richards and his Wife came
aboard, having stayed one Night at the Fort; and told me all that happened to
them ashore.''
In 1690 the Dutch garrison was " cut off " by the
Malays under one Panglima Kulup. Hamilton alludes to it—" Perak is properly
a part of the Kingdom of Johore but the People are untraceable and rebellious
and the Government anarchical. Their religion is a heterodox Mahometanism. The
Country produces more Tin than any in India but the Inhabitants are so
treacherous, faithless and bloody, that no European Nation can keep Factories
there with safety: The Dutch tried it once, and the first year had their
Factory cut off. They then settled on Pulo Dingding, an Island at the North of
the river Perak but about the year 1690 that Factory was also cut off." On
24 June 1693 an order was given that, in consequence of this massacre, no
garrison should be posted again at Pulau Dinding but that a stone pillar should
be-erected there, having on one side the arms of the United East India Company
and on the other those of the United Provinces—as a token of Dutch possession.
In 1695 and 1721 and 1729 orders were issued for the repair of this stone.
On 20 November 1745 Governor-General Gustraaf Willem, Baron
van Imhoff ordered the rebuilding of the fort at Pulau Dinding: it was to have
a garrison of 30 Europeans and 30 Asiatics but no Bugis. Then, according to Malacca records under the date 22
October 1746, an under-merchant, Ary Verbrugge, was sent to Perak to ascertain
if the king would allow a fort to be erected up-river and agree to sell all tin
to the Company. On 25 June 1747 Sultan Muzaffar Shah III of Perak signed an
agreement to deliver all tin to the Dutch at the rate of 26 ducatoons (or
pillar-dollars, worth 5s. 3d.) a bahar
of 375 lbs. besides two Spanish dollars payable to the King for duty, granted
permission for a fort to be built anywhere on the estuary and agreed to require
all vessels to call there for the examination of their cargoes. A Malay history
of Perak, the Misa Melayu, describes
how the Dutch fortified a brick factory (gudang)
at Pangkalan Halban on Tanjong Putus, where all tin had to be sold to them at
30 reals a bahar with 2 reals payable
to the Sultan as duty: the Sultan derived a large revenue and all the Malays
got a lot of dollars. Every three years the Dutch captain was relieved. One
captain obliged Sultan Muzaffar by decoying a Malay traitor into the brick
factory " and the will of God was accomplished upon His servant who was
not permitted to sin any longer " but taken aboard a sloop and conveyed to
Malacca. A factory established up-river, on 18 October 1748 van Imhoff ordered
the removal thither of the garrison from Pulau Dinding which was insalubrious.
On 17 October 1765, when Petrus Albertus van der Parra was Governor-General,
yet another contract was made between the
The Dutch and Perak. Page 57
Company and the next Sultan of
Perak, Muhammad (or Mahmud) Shah:—'
"
Governor-General Petrus Albertus van der Parra.
October 17, 1765.
Contract between the Dutch East India Company and Paduca Sri
Sultan Muhammad Shah, King of Perak.
1. An upright, true and everlasting confidence and
friendship shall subsist between the contracting parties.
2. The King promises to deliver all the tin which his
Country produces exclusively to the Company.
3. At the rate of C. 36 or Spanish Dollars 11 lbs. per 125
lbs., or per bahar of 375 lbs. Spanish Dollars 34.
4. The King promises to deliver the tin at the Company's
Factory where the same as well as what his subjects supply shall be weighed
with the Company's Scales and never to deviate from that rule.
5. The King promises to take proper measures to prevent the
smuggling of tin and to interdict the exportation of the same, on pain of
forfeiting vessel and cargo.
6. If any person were detected to export tin clandestinely,
his vessel and cargo shall be confiscated and the produce be divided between
the King and the Company.
7. All vessels departing, those of the King and Chiefs not
excepted, shall touch at the Factory and be visited there.
8. If the crew of a foreign vessel were to commit hostile
actions during the visitation, the King and his subjects shall pursue and seize
the same and deliver them over to the Company's Resident.
9. All European Deserters shall be delivered over to the
Resident and not be permitted to adopt the Muhammadan religion.
10. The King promises to assist the Dutch Garrison on all
occasions and not permit the equipment of pirate vessels.
11. The Company engages to punish her Servants and subjects
who should cause any loss to His Highness.
12. The King and Company promise strictly to fulfil all the
articles of this Contract.
13. The King finally promises to publish the Tenor of this
Contract throughout his dominions.
Signed, Sealed in the Kingdom of
Perak, in the Island Inderasakti, by a Dutch Commissioner and several Deputies
of His Highness."
Page 58 A History of Perak.
Under the date 29 September, 1767,
the Plakaatboek records that the
Resident of Perak may have 1 police clerk and secretary of justice, 1
dispenser, 1 clerk for trade and 1 paymaster. The same authority reiterates
under the dates 3 August 1753, 14 December 1759, 11 June 1767 and October 1781
that voyagers from Perak must carry a pass from the Resident. Under 20 August
1753 it is recorded that the Amphioen (= Afiun) Societeit had a monopoly of the
opium trade in Acheh and Perak. The contemporary Misa Melayu tells how, irked that the most famous of Perak's rulers
refused to receive him at Brahmana Indra because he had neglected to inform the
Laksamana and Shahbandar of his trip upstream and because he bore no presents,
a Tamil interpreter at Tanjong Putus returned to his Dutch employers there and
assured them that this Sultan Iskandar Zul-Karnain was planning an attack on
the factory. The Tamil concocted an " abominable letter " for
Batavia, which brought seven sloops posthaste to Perak. The Sultan was
displeased and the chiefs agreed that it was awkward, as His Highness had only
just started to build a fort and open a settlement at Pulau Chempaka Sari. The
Hollanders consented to wait three days downstream. " Then the inner fort
was made and by the help of God and His prophet and by the majesty of the
Sultan it was completed in three days and guns were ranged around it."
When the Dutch came upstream, they found the Sultan, the princes and chiefs
fully armed and handsomely dressed and hedged by a guard equipped with muskets,
blunderbusses, pistols and spears. Rows and rows of arms and war material were
ranged round. When Ary Verbrugge and his companions entered, they doffed their
hats and " struck with fear of the Sultan and awe for his grandeur "
made no hostile gesture but presented a letter and presents and exchanged elegant
conversation, which led to a further " permanent " agreement
regarding the sale and purchase of tin. As for the Dutch demand on this
occasion, it was in the opinion of the Malay chronicler lighter than usual,
being only for the delivery of 300 bahar
of tin within three days: actually 500 bahar
were produced and purchased. This passage in the Misa Melayu may refer as Sir William Maxwell thought, to the treaty
of 1765 but, if so, it was executed (as we know) by Mahmud (or Muhammad) Shah,
the younger brother and successor of Iskandar Shah.
Again in Iskandars reign three sloops brought Commissary Ary
Veerbrugge to the court at Kota Lumut to ask for tin to be sent to the Dutch
lodge where it would be weighed. But the Sultan decided to build a
weighing-station at Kuala Bidor. One day the Dutch captain called out to the
Shahbandar, who was passing in a dug-out, to visit him. The Shahbandar refused
and was chased by the sailors who asked if he were afraid of meeting tigers in
their ketch. " No " said he, " but there are a number of pigs
" and he refused to go being a great chief and ashamed to pay attention to
infidels. The Dutch fired on him and the Mantri.
The Dutch and Perak. Page 59
At night the Shahbandar escaped
up-river to report to the Sultan. The Mantri, thought to be missing, was hiding
up a side stream. Just then, ignorant of these happenings, the Laksamana came
up from Tanjong Putus and called on the Dutch captain. The captain feared that
he had offended the Sultan but " it was all a mistake: his men had been
shooting monkeys as white folk must and the Shahbandar had thought they were
aiming at him." The Laksamana carried this excuse to the Sultan, who on
the advice of his chiefs sent 300 bahar
of tin aboard the ketch and himself went as far as Tanjong Putus in pursuit of
persons who had attacked the Dutch there.
The Misa Melayu
alludes briefly to one more embassy from Batavia late in Iskandar's reign, and
tells how the fleet of the Bugis invaders in 1770 A.D. entered the Perak river
and alarmed the Dutch by anchoring off their factory. But hostilities with the
English were ending the days of Holland's influence in Perak. In 1783 when the
State was visited by Captain Forrest, there was no longer a Dutch factory at
Tanjong Putus:—
" The Dutch contract with the King for all the tin at
10 Spanish dollars per pikul, but
much of it is smuggled to Pulau Pinang by way of Larut and Kuala Kangsar.... I
went up in a country covered boat from Tanjong Putus to pay my respects to the
King of Perak who received me in a large upper-room house with great state
having about 20 guards in the room, dressed in black satin garments,
embroidered on the breast with a golden dragon; they wore mandarin caps and
appeared altogether in the Chinese style; some were armed with halberts, some
held pikes in their hands and a few had musquets without bayonets. The King
made me sit on a chair before a sofa on which he sat himself: his courtiers,
about 12 or 14 in number, all stood. After some little conversation the King
asked me if the Dutch meant to return to Perak. I answered that I believed they
did, on which he looked grave. He then withdrew: and his brother entertained me
with a cold collation at which two more persons sat down. I had presented the
King with two pieces of Bengal taffeta and found when I got into the boat a
large present of jacks, durians, custard apples and other fruits. I left Perak
river in December, 1783. Much rain fell in November."
Before 1792, when Forrest's book was published, the Dutch
had again settled at Tanjong Putus. In fact, soon after 1786, when Penang was
founded and made a free port by the English, Captain Glass commanding the
British troops there wrote that " the Dutch have a small stockade fort in
Perak with about 50 people there to prevent the natives from carrying the tin
to other markets; but with all their precautions the quantity they used to
receive is greatly lessened since the settlement of this island. The people of
Perak are in general very ignorant, their revenues so small and their residence
so far inland that little is to be feared
Page 60 A History of Perak.
from their animosity and less to be
hoped from their friendship while connected with the Dutch.... Near Perak river
it is well cultivated and it contains 30,000 people, exports annually 5,000 pikul of tin which is delivered to the
Dutch at 32 Spanish dollars per bahara
of 428 lbs." In 1795 Malacca was taken by the English and in the same year
Christoffel Walbeehm its commandant surrendered the Dutch factory in Perak:
" Lord Camelford, then a Lieutenant in the Navy, and Lieutenant Macalister
proceeded there with a small force and compelled the Dutch garrison to surrender." In 1818 Malacca was restored
to the Dutch but the establishment of Penang had robbed the Dutch of their tin
monopoly. " In 1819 " says Low, " the Dutch tried to
re-establish themselves on the island of Pangkor off the mouth of the Perak
river but were unsuccessful."
The decay of the Dutch Company had begun as early as the end
of the seventeenth century. Between her naval war with the Commonwealth in 1652
and the Peace of Utrecht in 1713 Holland was constantly at war with England or
France or both, a condition that drained her of men and money. The cold-blooded
business exploitation of Malayan countries led to endless revolts, whose brutal
suppression cost the Company great sums. And there was the dishonesty of the
Company's servants to which Bort alludes in his instructions to the Perak
Superintendent. These factors made the Company incompetent to retain its
monopolies and compelled it gradually to abandon one group of the islands after
another. Finally in 1795 a commission appointed by the States General reported
that the Company was bankrupt and its commerce almost ruined. In 1798 the newly
established Batavian Republic annulled the charter of 1602 and took over the
remaining possessions of a Company that had dominated Perak for a century and a
half.
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