is. They likewise bear, among the Malays, the character of being pre-eminently treacherous. The Gâdong district (lying between our frontier and Gûnong Dato') near which Haji Mastafa lives, is said to be the harbour of robbers aud cattle-lifters, but Ilaji Mastafa is too far advanced in years, too imbecile, and too much in the hands of others to do anything to improve matters; but under the new régime we may in time look for amendment.
Remban place of installation of Râja.As Rĕmbau used to be the place of installation of the Yan Tuan or Yang-di-pĕrtûan Bĕsar, it will not be out of place to deal here with the subject of the Yam Tûans. The original States in the interior of this part of the Peninsula, according to tradition, before they became "Negri Sembilan" were Kělang, Jĕlĕbu, Sungei Ûjong and Johol, with seniority in the order given.
Original Negri Sembilan.The "Nĕgri Sembilan" are stated by Newbold, and probably correctly, as being originally as follows, Kĕlang, Jělĕbu, Sungei Ûjong, Johol, Sĕgâmat, Nâning, Rĕmbau, Hûlu Pahang (including Sĕrting and Jĕmpol) and Jĕlei (in Pahang, adjoining Jělĕbu).[1] Kĕlang soon fell under the domination of Sĕlângor.
Johol originally included Jĕmpol and the whole watershed of the Moar as far as the Palong on one side and Mount Ophir on the other, having on the N. & W. common boundaries with Jĕlĕbu, Sungei Ûjong, Rĕmbau and Nâning (the latter now included in Malacca).
Sĕgâmat seems to have been absorbed by Johor a generation or two since. Nâning and Rĕmbau were children of Sungei Ûjong, and when the former of them came moro directly under Dutch. influence, Sri Mĕnanti, or more correctly Hûlu Moar, which had asserted independence of Johol, took its place in the confederation.
Origin of Yam Tusn Besar.About the middle of last century, the Dutch, in conjunction with the sovereign of Johor, Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah, who was suzerain
- ↑ There is of course another Jĕlei also known as (illegible text), which, till a generation or two ago, formed part of Johol, nor is it clear that it is entirely separate now; this district could not have been one of the original "Negri Sembilan; the title of its chief is the same as that of the Johol Dato', while that of the Jĕlei in the text was Maharaja Pĕrba. No doubt with the decadence of the Johor dynasty, and the practical independence of Pahang, Jĕlei ceased to be regarded as anything but a dependency of the Bendahara.
