442 Hamilton’s-account of the east indies.
in Europe for tafte and beauty; and fugar-cane, five or fix inches round,' growing,wild alfo.
In 1708, the King’s brother perfuaded him to leave Johore Lami, and refideatRhioon the ifland of Bintang, about three leagues off the river of Johore , becaufe hethought he could acl his tyranny with more fecurity than on the main continent, and foat Rhio he engroffed all trade in his own hands, buying and felling at his own prices,and punilhing thofe who dared to fpeak again!! his arbitrary dealings. At laft, in1712, a rebellion broke out, that nothing could ftop but a revolution, which diflolvedthe Hate into anarchy.
Upon the rifing of the people the tyrant got on board of a galley, with his wives andchildren, and carried with him above a ton weight of gold, and, without taking leaveof his brother, fled to Johore Lami ; but finding a finall army of Monacaboes (whomthe people had invited to their afliftance) had taken their quarters there, he betookhimfelf to the woods with his family, and left his galley and gold a prey to them. Heknew that there could be no long fafety in the woods, and defpairing of mercy from theinjured people, made defperation fupply the place of courage. He firft killed his wivesand children, but began to hefitate about killing himfelf, but a page of twelve yearsof age afked him if he was afraid to die a prince rather than be butchered like a flaveby fome villain or fare’s hand ; and that he, though innocent, and who might expeftmercy, would fhew him the way to die, and with that took a crefs, and run himfelfthrough the body. The tyrant prefently followed the youth’s example, and imme-diately expired ; but the Monacaboes coming foon after to the tragical place, faw whathad been done, and found the boy alive, and in his fenfes. They flopped his bleedingwound, and carried him to Johore Lami till his ftrength returned.
When the King heard of the people’s mutiny, and his brother’s flight, he came outof his palace, and proffered to fettle the ftate in its former tranquillity ; and if that couldnot appeafe them, he thought nothing elfe could bring them to reafon but his life,which he would willingly facrifice to atone for his mal-adminiftration.
The people told him, that he was too religious to make a good King, and that hemight retire to Pahaung or Trangano, and lpend his time, but as for Johore and theiflands between Sumatra and it, they would confider what to do with them ; and fogave him fome veffels to carry him and his family, with others who would follow hisfortune, to Trangano.
On his way thither, he called at Puloaure, Tingi, Piffang, and Timoon, and the inha-tants of thofe iflands received him with demonftrations of love, and promifed to con-tinue in their duty as his fubjects. He put his eldeft fon, a youth about twenty years ofage, afhore at Pahaung, to keep that country from revolting, and went himfelf toTrangano, where I afterwards had the honour to fee him ; and there I leave -him atprefent, and return to thofe iflands that lie round his dominions.
Chap. XLI. — Gives an Account of the IJJand of Sumatra; its Places of Note in
Trade.
SUMATRA fronts all the coaft of Malaya, from Quedah to the promontory ofJohore , and reaches above 150 leagues farther. It is one of the greateft iflands in theworld. Atcheen being the rnoft confpicuous place for trade, I will begin with it, andcoaft along the weft fide of it, till I come round again to Andraguiry, to the north-weftward of which river there is little or no commerce.
O AtcheetV