In the year 1640, Lamadarama, king of Boni,
commenced a religious persecution of his own Subjects,
and to impose the Mahomedan religion upon
the smaller states, his neighbours, by force. A
singular scène ensued. The people applied to the
Macassars Of Goa for assistance and protection, and
the principal emissary was the king’s own mother.
lit Paparig Baturia, king of Goa, sent ambassadors
to Boni, who wèré instructed to demand an answer
to the three following questions;—Whether the
king, in his persecution, was instigated by â particular
revelation from the Prophet,—or whether
he paid obedience to sonle ahcieht etistom,—or followed
his own personal pleasure ? If for the first
reason, the king of Bom re'quested information 5
if for the second, he should have his cordial cooperation
; if for the third, he must desist, jor
those m m he presumed to oppress icere Hie
friends of Goa. The king of Bohi made no re-
ply, and the Macassars havitig marched â gréât
ârmy into the country, defeated him in three successive
battles, fpreè'd Mm to dy the country, and
feduced Boni into a province, leaving à Viceroy
for its govèrnttiettt. The people of Boni*, ând other
Bûgis states, we see, were not fully converted at
this tiitie, so that we may conclude that the propagation
of Mahomedanism was the Slow and gradual
work of a century and à half The instruments
through which the conversion was brought
about were of the lowest order, and on this, account,
perhaps, the fitter for their occupation. No
extraordinary exertion seems, for a long time to
have been made in behalf of the new religo ion, ’An abhorrence of innovation, and a most pertinacious
and religious adherence to ancient custom,
distinguish the people of Celebes beyond all the
other tribes of the eastern isles ; and these would,
at first, prove the most serious obstacles to the dissemination
of Mahomedanism. It was this, probably,
which deferred the adoption of the new religion
for so long a period, and till it had recommended
itself by wearing the garb of antiquity. Independent
of the mere effect of habit, it is not probable
that the cmeient religion of Celebes was one
which laid a deep hold of the imagination of its votaries.
Three years after the conquest of Boni, or ip
the year 1643, the Boni people rebelled, and a
large force being sent against them, they were subdued,
and, according to the custom of the country,
reduced to a state of bondage, being deprived
of every privilege of an independent people. From
the conversion of the Macassar state to Mahomedan-
ism, in 16Q3, ft had been engaged in a rapid career
of conquest, for the Macassars not only rendered
tributary to them the principal states or Celebes,
but carried their arms to Sambawa, the Xulla Isles,
Butung, and other countries. This brought them