Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/121

 even before the commencement of the war. This notion finds support in the fact that the Panglima was a member of Achehnese embassies to Riouw and Singapore.

From the time of his surrender to General Van der Heijden, Panglima Tibang showed himself as ready to render faithful service to the Dutch Raja as he had previously been to the two last rajas of Acheh. He has been ever since so loyal in his new partisanship as to incur the hatred of the majority of the Achehnese as a false renegade; and this hatred has furnished the motif of sundry stories now in circulation which attribute the fall of the country to this Hindu.

Our poet's story runs as follows. Panglima Tibang purchased a ship in the Sultan's name for 44000 dollars, to convey him to the ports of the dependencies to collect tribute for his master. Whilst on her voyage the vessel fell into the hands of the Dutch, and Panglima Tibang was taken prisoner. He recovered his freedom however and received a handsome money present to boot, in return for a parchment sealed with the chab sikureuëng and a flag, which he gave to the Dutch as tokens of possession of the kingdom of Acheh.

Armed with these false tokens, the Dutch declared to the Powers that Acheh had become theirs by purchase; thus it was that no other Power interfered when the Gōmpeuni came to occupy Acheh by force of arms.

At this time the Achehnese were warned of the approaching end of the world by a wasiët (Arab. waçiyyat = admonition) of the Prophet, brought by certain hajis from Mecca.

During the month Asan-Usén of this year of calamity, four of the Gōmpeuni's ships came with a demand for submission. Council was held thereon in the Dalam, the chief speakers being Teuku Kali and an aged woman. The latter's advice, namely to accept the Dutch flag but to keep concealed from the up-country people the significance of its being hoisted, was rejected.