Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese Vol II. - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/125

 of Teuku Asan, whom we shall have to notice presently. But when the XXVI Mukims had been conquered, and the "one-eyed general" shortly afterwards made victorious progress even through the XXII Mukims, to the amazement of the hitherto braggart inhabitants of the upper country, the Imeum of Luëng Bata thrust his sword into its sheath and withdrew from public life.

Now dawns the period of three years of repose, during which the General strengthened the positions he had won. The "Raja Muda", Teuku Nyaʾ Muhamat, used all his efforts to advance the prosperity of the capital and of Ulèë Lheuë (Olehleh). He was so far successful that the people who had fled from their villages came pouring back in a continuous stream to the capital and fraternised with the kafirs. Life was a round of festivities, trade flourished, and the leaders of the party of resistance were bereft of their following.

All things conspired to bring homage to the one-eyed King.

The people of the VI Mukims, the poet tells us, had nevertheless much to endure, since the Raja Muda compelled them to work hard for the Gōmpeuni and himself.

No sooner did the one-eyed King depart, than all this repose was at an end. That brave warrior Teuku Asan, still in the pride of his youth, sought leave of his father in Pidië, whither the latter had fled, to go and do battle with the Gōmpeuni. The desired consent was given, with a father's blessing on his pious purpose. Teuka Asan quickly gathered some panglimas and a small force, and fixed his head-quarters in the neighbourhood of Lam Bada, the place of his birth.

The gampōng-folk were at first disposed to resist his establishing himself in that place, as they viewed with distaste the disturbance of their peace, but Teuku Asan and his followers soon taught them to throw off their equivocal attitude.