Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/183

 certain ranks and dignities are just as solemn and pious in form as before, but of equally little consequence in practice, as they simply imprint the chab sikureuëng on what has been already won by inheritance or by the chab limòng.

The famous Teungku Tirò, who died in January 1891, was not, as has been so often represented, entrusted by the sultan with the regulation of religious affairs in Great Acheh. This ulama had worked up (by means which we shall describe later on) to the position of commander-in-chief in the war against the Gōmpeuni, and wished to arm himself to some extent against the jealousy of the adat-chiefs by an official authorization of the sultan, whereby he was placed on a level with the ulèëbalangs, or as he preferred to interpret it, over their heads.

The "court" gave him, cautiously enough, a deed of appointment which in appearance made no inroad on the rights of the adat-chiefs, as it limited the province of the ulama to religious matters. At the same time all the parties concerned were well aware that in the view of the ulamas every thing came under the head of religion, especially antagonism to unrighteous adats, the waging of war against unbelievers, the administration of justice etc. Even after this formal appointment Teungku Tirò submitted to no legal dictation from Keumala, nay even refused on more than one occasion to satisfy the sultan's demands for money contributions.

Teuku Uma (Umar) the celebrated chief of the West Coast who rose to greatness during the war, obtained supremacy over the whole of the West Coast by tact, good luck and knowledge of men. In this purely worldly ascendancy he was confirmed in just the same way as Teungku Tirò in his so-called religious authority. In this case again there was a cautious mental reservation. Nothing could be refused to the man who from time to time propitiated the court by generous gifts, so in his letters-patent a large portion of the West Coast was made over to him. But when some of the hereditary chiefs complained of this edict, it was pointed out to them that Teuku Uma was