Tumbah Tuah’s Letter of Thanks to Captain Geisinger, Bencoolen, August 31st, 1832.
The commander of the United States ship-of-war Peacock, during our short stay at Bencoolen, presented one of the principal rajahs of that place some American tobacco, and the following letter of thanks was sent, written in the Malayan character, which, being translated into English, is as follows:—
“BY THE MERCY OF GOD:
“This friendly epistle is the dictate of a heart very white, and a face very clean, written under a sense of the greatest respect and most exalted love, permanent and unchangeable as the courses of the sun and moon; this is to say from me—a gentleman—Tumbah Tuah of Bencoolen, the Paseer Marlborough. Now may God the Holy and Almighty cause this to arrive before the face of his glorious excellency, Colonel Geisinger, the head man who commands in the American ship-of-war, which is now at anchor off Rat island, in the harbour of Bencoolen.
“Furthermore, after this, the object of this letter is to acknowledge the present of American tobacco sent to me, and which I have duly received through the love of Knoerle the resident of Bencoolen; this is the message [present] of your lordship to me rajah, &c., [two names.] Wherefore I return praise to God, and my expressions of gratitude—thus much.
“Besides this, I can only pray the Lord your God to grant you peace and long life. Amen.
“The gentleman,
“TUMBAH TUAH.
“Bencoolen, the 31st day of the month of August in the year 1832.”
The superscription was as follows:—
“Presenting itself before the visage of his Excellency Colonel Geisinger, commanding the American ship-of-war.”