coast of the island, in 1509, this empire was evidently
in its decline; and though the rajahs of Achin,
Pedir, and Pasé, acknowledged the sultan of this
country as their superior, they only paid him a
small tribute, and were really independent princes.
The empire at that time included on the east coast
the area between the rivers of Palembang and Siak,
and on the west coast from Manjuta, near Indrapura,
as far north as Singkel, at the mouth of the river of
that name, which is the outlet of the great Lake Aik
Dáu, in the Batta Lands* Afterward the Rajah of
Achin, whose daughter the sultan had married and
slighted, took possession of the west coast, as far
south as Bencoolen. In 1613 his successor claimed
no farther south than Padang, and he actually governed
no place south of Barus.
In 1680 the Sultan Alif died, leaving no heir.
Dissensions at once arose, and the empire was ultimately
divided between three princes, who each
claimed to be the regular successor to the throne,
and assumed all the extravagant titles of the previous
sultans. These princes severally resided at
Suruasa (on the Dutch maps Soeroeasso), which is
situated two miles south of Pagaruyong, on the
banks of a small stream that flows southward and
empties into the Ombiling, at Pagaruyong (on thf
Dutch maps Pager Oedjoeng), and at Sungtarap (in
Dutch Soeng Tarap), a kampong three miles north
of Fort Yan der Capellen. The Dutch treated the
Prince of Suruasa with the greatest distinction, but
* Vide Marsden’s pf History of Sumatra,” p. 322 et seq.
whether that place or Pagaruyong was the more ancient
site is undecided.
The first European who reached this region was
Sir Stamford Raffles in 1818. He had the good fortune
to discover at Suruasa two inscriptions on stone
in the Kawi, or ancient Javanese character, thereby ,
proving that the early civilization of Java was transplanted
to this land. At Pagaruyong he also discovered
a Hindu image, “ chastely and beautifully
carved, corresponding with those discovered m Java,
and evidently the work of similar artists and the object
of a similar worship.” Thus the ancient religion,
as well as the ancient language of Java, was adopted
to some extent by the early inhabitants of this coun-
^ There appears to be no reason why we should
suppose that Mohammedanism was first introduced
into Java and thence brought to this land, as there
is in the case of the Hinduism that prevailed here
centuries ago. We may rather infer that soon after
that religion had found followers on the north coast,
its teachers were not long in making their way into
the Menangkabau country, the influence and reputed
wealth of which must have been pictured to them in
the most glowing colors as soon as they first an e
at Achin. „ .
About the year 1807 three native pilgrims returned
from Mecca to their homes on the shores o
Lake Korinchi, which is situated about thirty miles
southeast of the great mountain of Talang As they
had just left the grave of their prophet, they burne
with zeal to discipline their lax countrymen, and to