Page 106 - SEJARAH SOSIAL DAERAH KOTA BENGKULU

To William Marsden, Esq.

Bencoolen, April 7, 1818.

My Dear Sir.
I have only time to advise you of our safe arrival here. We had a
Ve1J 1 tedious passage of more than four months, exclusive of our
detention at Falmouth.

"This is, without exception, the most wretched place I ever beheld. I
cannot convery to you an adequate idea of the state of ruin and
dilapidation which su"ounds me. What with natural impedements,
bad government, and the awful visitations of Providence which we
have recently experienced, in repeated earthquakes, we have scarcely
adwe/ling in whichto lay our heads, or wherewithal to satisfy the
cravings of nature. The roads are impassable; the highways in the town
overrun with rank grass: the Government-house a den of ravenous
dogs and pole-cats. The natives say that Bencoolen is now a tanah
mati (dead land). Jn truth, I could never have conceived any thing half
so bad. We will try and make it better: and if I am well supported
from home, the west coast may yet be turned to account. You must
however, be prepared for the abolition of slavery: the emancipation of
the country people from the forced cultivation of pepper; the discon-
tinuance of the gaming and cock-fighting farms; and thousand other
practices equally disgraceful and repugnant to the British chacter and
government.
A complete and thorough reform is indispensable, and reduktions
must be made throughout ........... 15)
(Artinya: Kepada William Marsden. Esq.

Bengkulu, 7 April 1818.

Tuan yang baik,
'Saya hanyalah punya kesempatan untuk mengabarkan kepada
anda bahwa kami telah tiba dengan selamat di sini. Pelayaran yang
15) Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, FRS &
Co, by Sophia Raffles, London, p. 293.

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