Page 137 - Malay sketches

THE PASSING OF PENGLIMA PRANG SEMAUN
The risk of that possibility deterred the Sultan's
who had surrounded the house with
people,
stockades, and all that could be done was to prevent
the Penglima, Haji Ali, and their rrten, from escaping.
The process of starving out the besieged could not
be resorted to, for here also the ladies would have
suffered.
The moment the deed was done, Penglima Prang
Semaun proclaimed that he was merely the instru-
ment of the Sultan's Wazir, and that he had acted
on the of the Bendahara. That, if
authority Raja
true, complicated the case considerably, and as
matters had arrived at an impasse, a parley was
called, and it was arranged that the Penglima and
his people should be given a safe-conduct to the
Sultan at Pasir Panjang.
the Penglima Prang, Haji AH, and
Accordingly,
the others left their shelter and embarked in boats
provided for them, but they took good care not to
let the ladies, who were their prisoners, get out of
reach.
Arrived at Pasir Panjang, Penglima Prang at
once sent a messenger to the Raja Bendahara to
inform him of the state of affairs and ask his aid.
The Bendahara responded to this appeal by taking
boat, and, with a great following, descended the
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