provide the arms and provisions necessary, and consequently at the end of his reign the country was in a state of extreme misery. After his death he was canonized.
About this time Acheen began to decline in power, probably on account of the loss of trade occasioned by the establishment of the Portuguese at Malacca, and to the general fact that Europeans were no longer content to go to Acheen and Pedir to traffic for goods which they could obtain at cheaper rates, at the places where they were produced.
The Art of Navigation among the earlier traders was so defective, that they found it an advantage to be supplied with the produce of the whole Archipelago at entrepôts such as Acheen and Pedir, without the risk and loss of time necessary for them to go to the several ports, collecting produce themselves, but from the better navigation of Europeans and their energy of character, they now began to visit the whole of the ports where they could barter their goods for the produce of the country, consequently Acheen, which rose to importance from its position as a trading entrepót now began to decline rapidly. When that trade was withdrawn and 2 generations after Sultan Iskander Muda (who styled himself King of 12 different countries) the power of Acheen was confined to the country about Acheen itself. Beaulieu speaking of Sumatra in 1821 says Le Roy d'Achen possede la moitie et que est la meilleur.
[Note 9] Sultan Mafait Shah was said to have been powerful, just and merciful. Under his sway, the country began to recover from the effects of the drain on its resources in the last reign. He put a stop to the tyranny and oppression of the nobles over the peasants, the Mosque Bait-al-Mashaada was built by him.
[Note 10] Sultana Taaj Aleam. This is the 1st of4 Queens who reigned at Acheen during the period of 60 years, by no means a singular circumstance in the History of Mahomedan nations in the Malayan Archipelago. A radical change was now effected in the government of Acheen, the power which formerly was in the hands of a despotic prince, was seized by a council of 12 nobles, who allowed a Queen to be on the throne as a nominal ruler, the sole management of the country being in their hands, and although the importance of the kingdom declined under this system of government, this may probably be ascribed not to bad government but to the loss of trade and consequent wealth, as the few details we possess of the state of the country show a mild and equable rule aud a period less subject to revolutionary violence than any other in the history.
[Note 11] 1684. This year the Madras government sent Messrs Ord and Cawley on an embassy to the Queen to request permission to erect a brick and mortar factory at Acheen, This request was peremptorily refused and the ambassadors were in- formed that such was the jealousy in the government that not even the Queen herself would be allowed to erect any building capable of defence.
The Madras government sent this mission under the following circumstances.— Since the first arrival of Europeans in Sumatra the pepper trade had been the grand object of each nation and we find them contending with each other to secure a monopoly of it. Sir James Lancaster in 1603 formed a factory at Bantam where the English had traded in peace and security till the pear 1677, when the young Sultan, having been allowed part of the authority of government during his father's life time, rebelled, and assisted by the Dutch (the English had taken no part in the affair except protesting against the undutiful conduct of the son towards his father) deposed his father and drove the English out of the country. It consequently became necessary for the English company to establish themselves at some other place in the pepper countries, and Acheen was judged to be the most favourable place for trade generally. On the refusal of the authorities there to allow them to build a factory, Messrs Ord and Cawley accepted the invitation of the chiefs of Bencoolen, and at once commenced to build a fortified warehouse, on the ground allotted to them. This situation not proving advantageous they removed the site 2 or 3 miles, building a new factory which was called Fort Marlborough. It was in 1763 made a separate Presidency.
[Note 12] This is the last of the female reigns and now the country after experiencing the blessings of moderately good government for 60 years, suffers under a succession of revolutions and civil war, which have lasted almost without intermission till the present day.
[Note 13] Sultan Bedralam Sherif Hashim Jemal Oolil. This King was obliged to abdicate în consequence of the muscles of his legs and arms having become contracted by disease, which incapacitated him from performing the offices of prayer an essential requisite in a Mahomedan sovereign.
[Note 14] 1762. In this year Captain Forrest, an officer in the Company's Mer-