Page 250 - Malay sketches
P. 250
MALAY SKETCHES
the government of the country to Mr. Birch. This
announcement was received in silence by the others,
to whom it was doubtless no but the Maha-
news,
"
Lela Even has done
raja said, if your Highness
so, I do not care at all. I will never acknowledge
the authority of Mr. Birch or the white men. I
have received letters from Sultan Ismail, the Mentri
and the Penglima Kinta telling me on no account to
obey the English Government in Perak. I will not
allow Mr. Birch to set his foot in my kampong at
Pasir Salak."
"
The Sultan said, Do you really mean that,
"
Maharaja Lela?" and the Chief replied, Truly I
will not depart in the smallest degree from the old
arrangement."
Another chief, the Datoh Sagor, who lived on the
other side of the river, exactly opposite to Pasir
"
Salak, said, What the Maharaja Lela does I will
do."
The Sultan then got up and withdrew.
Two or three days before the end of the month
the Sultan called another meeting of his chiefs at a
called Durian ten miles below the
place Sa'batang,
small island on which the Resident's hut stood.
At that meeting the Sultan produced the proclama-
tions which were to be issued, placing the ad-
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