Abstract Geneology of The Rajahs Pulo Percha (Sumatra). From a M. S. In The Possession of The Sultan of indrapura

The commencement of the story is a fable of Mahommedan invention, by which the king of Menang karbau is made a descendant of Iskander Zuikarnein, and a brother of the kings of Roum and Tasua or China ; it then goes on to state that the king of Moghul Khyrun, having heard of a certain country called Medan, was seized with a desire to go and see it ; and leaving his son in the government, set out from the city of Sah ul Sayah, with an immense retinue.

"He took with him all kinds of arms and warlike equipments, and the arrangement of his battle was the Naga-terbang (flying dragon), like a cloud swallowing the moon. The numbers of his army exceeded computation and his Ulubalangs were clad in iron armour with helmets of steel. The king accompanied by the Princess Chandra dewi Kamala Retna, di. rected his course towards the country of the Brahmans, where he remained forty days and forty nights, and placed over it a Rajah named Bacha Salegram Jawahir Sing.From thence the king moved with his whole army to Hindostan, where he spent some time in feasts and amusements, and then proceeded on wards to Barapura, where he remained about four months. He then ordered the Perdana Mantri to send and build a ship for his accommodation. and it was done accordingly; it was built long and large and furnished with all equipments in the most complete manner; and the name of the ship was Mundam Berahi. When all things were prepared, the king embarked and sailed to Medan. At the end of six months he arrived at Nilapura where he cast anchor, and he remained there about three years.

At the end of this time, the Laksamana addressed the king and said; "O Tuanku, king of the world, What is the intention of remaining here, and what are your orders?" The king replied, " Prepare quickly for my embarkation on the ship Mundam Berahi". He then called the master of the vessel and said, "certainly we have seen towards the left of the rising sun smoke issuing as it were from a rock, what is said of it in your chart," he replied, "pardon, my lord, king of the world, it appears by the map that this smoke proceeds from an island, which old people call Pulo Percha." The king said, "O master, are you acquainted with this island;' and the master replied, "O king of the world, thy servant has never been there, he knows it only from the chart." Then the king said to his mantris, "O mantris, make ready with speed, I wish to go to this island." And when the ship was equipped, the king embarked with all his army and set sail towards the place of that smoke.

On the fourth morning he arrived, and saw the waves breaking at the foot of that mountain, and at a little distance what appeared to be an island with a man standing upon it. The island appeared endeavouring to rise from the sea, but the man scattered the earth and prevented it, so that it again disappeared. Day by day the same was repeated. The king asked his mantris the meaning of this, but the mantris replied, We do not know. The king then ordered the ship to be moved to that place, and when he arrived, he asked, "O thou that stirrest up the waters, who art thou ?" the reply was," I am Sikatimuno." The king asked, "what is your employment? " and Sikatimuno replied, "I am destroying this island, that it may not become land."

Then the king drew forth his sword called Chemundang Giri, which destroyed of itself, and said, "O Sikatimuno, now I will kill you " he replied, "thou canst not kill me.'" Sikatimuno was then destroyed by Chemundang Giri, and the island of Lunkapura became land by the will of God. It became large and extended to the foot of the mountain.

There after the king landed on that island, called also Saguntang.guntang Penjaringan and situated between Palembang and Jambi, and dwelt there, and all the people also landed, and applied themselves to cultivation and other employments. Thereafter there was a vizir a great favorite of the king, who became Mancobumi, and was styled Bandahara, and the Laksamana received the title of Inder Mah.

After this, the king had five children, two sons and three daughters. The eldest son was called Iang depertuan Rajah Puti,and the younger Iang depertuan Sultan Mansur Shah. The five all grew up, afterwards the eldest son went into the interior along the river till he arrived at its source ; he then ascended the hills, and descended on the other side and passing through the forest arrived at Ayer Etam, and remained there. By the will of God, his time arrived and Rajah Puti died at Ayer Etam. In process of time the king and queen also died, and Iang depertuan Mansur Shah succeeded. After some successions Allah uddeen Shah became king, and though married along time, had no son, at which he was much distressed. One day the king saw a bitch sleeping with six puppies sucking, and there came a small snake and attempted to bite the dog, but the puppies set up a barking and laid hold of the snake, some by the head, some by the middle, and some by the tail and killed it. When the king saw this action of the puppies, he began to think it was well for the dog to have had children, to escape being bitten by the snake, for it was a very poisonous one.

Therefore the king shed tears, thinking of his own case that he was childless, and he took the puppy which had killed the snake, to adopt it as a child along with other six kinds of animals, all young females and brought them up like human creatures.

He then went and performed Tapa, in hopes of obtaining a child from God the merciful, and also that these animals might- become human beings by the power of God and God fulfilled the wishes of the king. He had a child, a daughter, and all those young animals became human, and they were all perfectly alike in appearance with the child which was the true one, and the king was very fond of them. Afterwards the king had a son, who was called by his father Sri Sultan Ain Shah.

The beauty of the children in time became known to the whole world, and at length the intelligence was conveyed to Java or the country of Matarem. The son of the Susunan of Matarem by name Radin Tumongong Sura Sari asked leave of his parents and nurse to travel, as he was exceedingly desirous of courting the princess of Pulo Percba. The Sultan of Matarem gave him leave; and Radin Tumongong seiled to Bukit Saguntang-guntang Penjaringan, with all his Pengawa Mantris, and demanded the daughter
of the king lang depertuan in marriage, but the king would not consent to his desire. The prince on this became greatly ashamed, and a war took place between the lang depertuan and Radin Sura Sari.

The latter sent for reinforcements from Matarem, and the Susunan sent to his son a great number of soldiers exceeding computation. On this the king thought proper to retire, but two of those children who had been made from animals remained in the city of Belida, and he took the course that had been pursued by Rajah Puti. He arrived at Ayer Etam and proceeded on from thence to dusun Juar di Monjuta, and remained there.

One day Dyang Dari, and Dyang Serin went sporting to the quallo, and saw that it was large; Dyang Dari said to Dyang Serin, If such is the appearance of this quallo, perhaps the prows of Java may come here too, and find us, let us return quickly and inform our father thereof, that we may emigrate from this place. Then they returned with this intelligence to the king, who when he heard it, replied, if so, let us be off immediately. And he proceeded to Indrapura di Palokan tinggi. But when he saw that the quallo of Indrapura was much larger than that of Monjuta, the king said, perhaps the people of Java will find us here too, and he removed to Gunung Linda di Pungasun; but when he saw that Gunong Linda was also near to the sea, he again moved to the interior of Ayer Aji, to a place called Sunkra Sunkulang. When he arrived there, one of his people died, and he therefore returned to Indrapura, and remained a long time, and he had a number of children and nephews. These fought among themselves, and the king therefore departed to Batang Kapas, and remained about three years there. Many people having died there, the king proceeded again inland, and arrived at a place called by him Tanjong Bunga, where he remained a long time. There an alligator once devoured one of his people, whereupon he made a bank and fence of ruyong or nibong round the city, from which the city received the name of Pagar ruyong which it retains to this day.

The king finally settled himself there, and the people of Java returned to Java, and abandoned Palembang. (Palembang was not then called Palembang but was still called Bukit Sa-guntang. guntang Penjaringan.) The people sent to invite the king to return, but the king replied I do not wish return, I fear the people of Java may come again. But the people who invited him said, "O Tuanko, if you do not return, who will rule over us, for we your slaves cannot come constantly here for the settlement of our affairs. The king said, the person who got possession of my cloak shall become Sultan of Jambi, and he who got my breeches (sarual) shall become Rajah of Palembang, and they shall marry my two daughter who remained at Belida. Then the deputies requested their dismissal, and obeyed the directions of the king.

A long time after this, the people of Java returned and came to Tanjung Bunga, and brought a buffalo (karbau) of gigantic size, and said to the king, Come and make a match with this buffalo, The Bandahara replied, Good, but the buffalo of the Iang depertuan is yet young, give us three days' delay. They replied, Be it so. Then the Bandahara and Inder Mah sought out a young buffalo, which was tied up, and kept from sucking for three days; two very sharp knives were then fastened to its head. When the three days had elapsed, the people of Java brought their huge buffalo, with his horns armed with sharp knives, and enquired where the buffalo of the Iang depertuan was, and also what was the amount of the wager.

The Iang depertuan replied, whatever amount you please. Then the Iang depertuan said to the Bandahara, bring out our buffalo. The Bandahara having ordered the dam to be kept out of sight, then turned out the young buffalo, who as soon as he saw that large buffalo, ran towards it, thinking it his mother, because he was very hungry, and immediately began to press and strike on the belly of the buffalo, as he was wont when sucking. But the great buffallo ran away and tried to get at the little one with his horns, but could not get at him because he kept always under his belly, attempting to suck, at length his bowels were laid open by the knives fastened to the head of the calf, so that after in vain attempting to escape, he fell down and died. Thus the people of Java were worsted and the Iang depertuan won the battle, wherefore that place was called Menangkarbau (the victory of the buftalo) and is so to this day.

The people of Java were very much ashamed, and .Wished to go to war and fight with Tanjong Bunga. But the Bandahara said to the Iang depertuan, O Tuanko do not meet these people of Java in battle, because they are many, and we are as yet few; offer terms of accommodation, and in the meantime we will try some stratagem.

The king replied, O Bandahara, who art cunning, do as you have said, I agree. Therefore the Bandahara said to the people of Java, O mighty people, do not let us quarrel, whatever you wish, we will give. The people of Java said, O Bandahara, if such is your wish, good, what is now your desire? The Bandahara replied, I wish for nothings but to entertain you and give you to eat and drink, in proof of good faith. The people of Java replied, Well, make haste.

Then the Bendahara sent to prepare a feast and to procure toddy, and arrack to drink, which he put into bamboos cut obliquely at the mouth, and to each man of Java and attendant presented a bamboo of toddy of which they all took a long draught at once with open mouths and turning up their heads. At that moment each of the attendants forced the bamboos down their throats so as to cut their windpipes, and thus killed a great number of them, while the the few that remained ran away. That place soon began to stink from the number of dead bodies, and it therefore acquired the name of Padang Si-busuk, which it still retains.

Some time after this event, the Iang depertuan died, and his son Iang depertuan Ayin Shah ascended the throne. This king had two brothers and three sisters ; the youngest brother was called Maharajah Tahir Jouhan Shah. Some time after, the king Ayin Shah was invited by the people of Aches (Acheen), and Maharajah Jouhan Shah remained in the government of Pagaruyong, the country of Menangkarbau and the kampong of Tanjong Bunga. The reign of this prince was long and prosperous, and his descendants multiplied, and after several successions we arrive at Sri Sultan Maharajah Gandam Shah, who had five Children, four daughters and one son called Maharajah Teerul Akber Shah.

This son married his sister, who was younger than himself by one ; another sister married the Bandahara who resided at Saberimbang batu Halang, paying no attention to the wishes of the king, but following her own inclinations in marrying a man of inferior rank, and she had seventeen children, of whom six were sons. Another daughter married the Perdana mantri and had eight children, six daughters and two sons.

The eldest daughter did not marry ; many persons sought her hand, but they all died. When this princess was raised to the rank of Sultan or Rajah perampuan, and nine persons who had made proposals to her had died, it appeared that she had taken a husband privately, and that he was Batara Kala or Indrajati, for in the bed chamber of this princess was heard the voice of a man whom no one saw, except the princess herself. At length the princess became pregnant, and her brother was informed of it, wherefore he became very angry with his sister, and even wished to slay her, on account of her becoming with child without having a husband. He knew nothing of Indrajati, but the Bandahara said, have patience before you take any steps to kill or to reject the princess, and told him the whole history of the affair.

Now about this time it is related that the Rajah of Kartasura in Java, had three sons and three daughters, and the youngest who was yet unmarried, became pregnant, and her parents in anger sent her away with one prow provisioned and equipped. She sailed away to Palembang, and found there a number of Java people, wherefore she proceeded up the Sungy Tanjong Semelindo, till she arrived at Talawi and there settled herself.

The lang depertuan who had wished to destroy his sister, then removed from Tanjong Bunga to the rantau (a straight part of a river) of Sungy Nian ; his wife there became pregnant, although he had never had connection with her, and the circumstances of it were much the same as in the case of the Rajah Perampuan. The Prince on this gave credit to the story of the princess whom he had left, and he sent a messenger to Tanjong Bunga, to say that if her child proved a son, and I have a daughter, I wish that they should marry, or if mine is a son and yours a daughter, the same. When this trusty messenger arrived at Tanjong Bunga, he paid his respects and related the message of the lang depertuan to the Rajah Perampuan ; the latter replied, I cannot oppose the wishes of my brother, whatever he desires I will performThe messenger next day returned to Sungy Nian and reported to the Iang depertuan all the words of the princess.

In due time the princess of Kartasura brought forth a son at mid night at Telawi, and the Rajah perampuan of Tanjong Bunga had also a son, at eight o'clock in the morning, and the king's wife had a daughter, to which was given the name Putri Mengindar Chaya, but familiarly called Putri Bongsu. The son of the Rajah perampuan was called Sri Sultan Murdu Alum Khalif'at Allah Jouhan Shah. The sun of Pulo Percha, and the crown of Menangkarbau. The son of the princess of Kartasura was called Imbang Jaya Kartasura. When these three children grew up the latter was called Datu Imbang Jaya Kartasura, and the Sultan was called Tuanko orang muda Serimandung. The Princess Putri Bongsu was of a dazzling beauty, and Datu Imbang Jaya began to lay schemes to get her, and to seek the means of of breaking the previous engagement between the Putri Bongsu and the Tuanko muda, but was not able.

Afterwards he framed a letter, which ran thus. Whereas this letter is from the Rajah perampuan and the Tuanko muda of the city of Tanjong Bunga, to the Iang depertuan Rajah muda of Sungy Nian ; with respect to the Putri Bongsu if any one should ask her, let her be given to him, for Sri Sultan Murdu Alum is at present dangerously ill ; his body is covered with ulcers and his joints are contracted, and he cannot recover, until he dies sooner or later according to the decree ot God. Having written this letter, he sent a trusty person with it to Rajah Muda, to say he brought it from Tanjong Bunga. while he selected 713 men whom he sent to cut off all communication between Sungy Nian and Tanjong Bunga.

Hereupon the Rajah Muda of Sungy Nian sent a messenger to see the Tuanko orang Muda, but that messenger did not arrive at Tanjong Bunga, but was killed by those stationed halfway, and though the prince waited long, he did not return.. For a long time he received no intelligence from Tanjong Bunga, and in the mean time Datu Imbang Jaya came to demand the Putri Bongsu in marriage, and the prince determined to give her, for fear of Imbang Jaya, and prepared a great entertainment for the marriage of the Putri Bongsu and Imbang Jaya. To cut short a long story, the feast lasted three months, when the Tuanko orang Muda arrived at Sungy Nian to claim (he Putri Bongsu, and to carry her to Tanjong Bunga, and a war arose between him and Imbang Jaya, which lasted three years, and at length caused a famine.

The Tuanko Muda thereon retired to Kota Hilalang of the Tigablas : from thence be went to Selayo and from Selayo to Kota Anau, but two of his cousins german (sudara sapupu) remained at Selayo, and other two remained at Kota Anau, while the Tuanko moved to Bayang, where again two others remained. When the Tuanko retired from Pagaruyong to Kota Hilalang, he had one daughter two years of age; and from Bayang he removed to Batang Kapas or Kampong Pinang di Kalumpang, and there remained. The daughter above mentioned grew up and was called Seetee Rutna Mendayo Murhum Shah, the diamond of the first water among the people of the coast.

After this the people of Pagaruyong came to Batang Kapas to invite the Tuanko Murhum, who said, O all ye Panghulus and great men, I do not wish to return, but this person shall go in my place, carry him back with you. When he arrived at Pagaruyong, he related all the words of the Iang depertuan When the two brothers of Tuanko Murhum, children of the princess who married a common man, saw this, they said, We do not wish this person, we two had better become Rajahs; and they became Rajah Adat, and Rajah Alum, and below them the third became Rajah Ebadut. From this cause there became three seats of government, which remain to this day.

Moreover there is related a history of a Rajah who was the son of the Bugis Rajah of Dewaju, whose residence was at Beting pula, called Orang Masompa. He was one day amusing himself with flying a Kite, and was carried off by it into the air. He fell again at Kataun, and was made a slave by Rajah di bandar.

After some time he was ordered by Rajah di bandar to cut a rattan, and cut his finger, when white blood flowed from it, resembling cocoa.nut milk. Then Rajah di bandar knew that this was the son of a Rajah, and advanced him accordingly.

Thereafter, this son of the Rajah went to seek an earth and water the same as his own near each river, till he arrived at Ayer Dikit, of which the water was a little less weighty, but the earth the same, from which cause it was called Ayer Dikit (from Sedikit) which it still hears. This being the case he went on again from thence until he arrived at Indrapura, and he weighed the earth and water there, and found it the same as the Bugis earth and water. He therefore remained there. After this when the Bugis Rajah heard that there was a great Rajah at Batang Kapas di Kalumpang, he went to meet the Paduka Murhum, and Paduka Murhum gave him in marriage his own daughter, whom he had brought from Pagaroyong, and the Bugis Rajah returned to Indrapura with his wife. On this account Indrapura is called Ujong Pagaruyong. Thus the history has come down to Indrapura.

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Retype by Tun Jang from Malayan miscellanies, 2 : XII, 1822.
Printed and Published at the Sumatran mission Press. Bencoolen. 1822