886 HISTORY OP CELEBES. In the year 1640, Lamadarama^ king of Bani^ commenced a religious persecution of his own sub- jects, and to impose the Mahomedan religion upon the smaller states, his neighbours, by force. A singular scene ensued. The people applied to the Macassars of Goa for assistance and protection, and the principal emissary was the king's own mother. l^i Fapang Batuna, king of Goa, sent ambassadors to Boni, who were instructed to demand an answer to the three following questions, — Whether the king, in his persecution, w^as instigated by^ par- ticular revelation from the Prophet, — or whether he paid obedience to some ancient custom, — or fol- lowed his own personal pleasure ? If for the first reason, the king of Boni requested information ; if for the second, he* should have his cordial co- operation ; if for the third, he must desist, Jor those whom he presumed to oppress were the ^friends of Goa, The king of Boni made no re- ply, and the Macassars having marched a great army into the country, defeated him in three suc- cessive battles, forced him to fly the country, and reduced Boni into a province, leaving a viceroy for its government. The people of Boni, and other Bugis states, we see, were not fully converted at this time, so that we may conclude that the pro- pagation of Mahomedanism was the slow and gra- dual work of a century and a half The instru- ments throudi which the conversioi;! was brought
