They All Carried
Parangs, Or The Short Kris Called A Golo, And Haying Been Told That The
Malays Were Disarmed, I Was Surprised To See Several Muskets, A Rifle,
And About Thirty Spears On The Wall.
So I found myself in the heart of
what has been officially described as "a nest of robbers and
murderers," "the centre of disturbance and disaffection," etc.
To make
it yet more interesting, on inquiring whose house it was, the name of a
notorious "rebel" leader was mentioned, and one of the women, I was
told, is the principal wife or rather widow of the Maharajah Lela, who
was executed for complicity in the assassination of Mr. Birch.
However, though as a Briton I could not have been a welcome visitor,
they sent a monkey for two cocoa-nuts, and gave me their delicious
milk; and when I came away they took the entrance ladder from one of
the houses to help me to mount the elephant.
Mr. Low was at first displeased that I had been to Koto-lamah, and
said that my escort was "ignorant and foolish" for taking me; but now
he says that though he would not have taken the responsibility of
sending me, he is glad that the thing was done, as it affords a proof
such as he has not yet had of the complete pacification of the
district; but, he added, it would appear somewhat odd that the first
European to test the disposition of the Koto-lamah people should be a
lady.
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