WCP3284

Testimonial (WCP3284.3599)

[1]1

TRANSLITERATION OF LETTER

Bahwa alamat ini surat dari ingatang2 | dahulu kala daripada orang xxx3 Melayu | nenek moyang dapat tana Aru sampai tana Wasir | kompani Inggeris dapat | sama kita orang Melayu xxx Wallace | jadi tuan kompani Inggeris | kasi ka ruma sama nenek [se]mua xxx dia | punya anak cucu [se]mua xxx anak | cucu [se]mua xxx [symbol]4 wa kabungwalai | imama ajar marid adanya.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

This is a record based on memories of the past, from the Malays whose forefathers have possessed the land of Aru up to the land of Wasir. The English came here to meet us Malays. Wallace, who was the English chief, established a bond of friendship with all the elders of the house, and their children and grandchildren, their children and grandchildren. Kampong Walai; the imam who teaches students, the end.

1
The original document was 10 lines of poorly formed Jawi script, written in pencil on blue European paper. This transliteration and translation of the letter has been completed by Dr. Annabel Teh Gallop, Head Curator for Indonesian and Malay at The British Library. Dr. Gallop notes that the document was written in 1872 by the man who had piloted ARW up the Wanumbai river in Aru in 1857. The document was give to the Australian naturalist, J.T. Cockerell, who visited Aru in 1872, to be forwarded to ARW. See J. T. Cockerell to ARW, 24 December 1872 (WCP3694.3600).
2
A truncated medial form of nga.
3
'XXX' represent crossings-out by the scribe.
4
Henri Chambert-Loir suggests that this symbol might represent the manifold descendants of the house.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Testimonial (WCP3284.3599)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Gallop, Annabel Teh [2013-03-28] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2020-03-19]

Envelope (WCP3284.5198)

Envelope used to file letter, which probably originally contained a letter sent from Sharpe to ARW with Bilgrami's letter to Sharpe enclosed (WCP3283) and the original MS letter written in Jawi script (WCP3284). This envelope is addressed to "Dr. A R. Wallace, F.R.S., Broadstone, Wimborne, Dorset", with stamp, postmarked "BOURNEMOUTH | 5:45 PM | SP 12 | 04". Notes on front of envelope in ARW's hand in pencil: "Arabic Letter | Mr. Bilgrami cannot read it! Too badly written" and (Biol) | (Journal)"; in pen: "sent to Mr Bilgrami Octr. 23rd". Notes on back of envelope in ARW's hand in pen: "46213 mile | 190, 000 | 55917 0000 | 6213 | 118,047", and in pencil: "Bilgrami & W W Skeat (Journal)"; postmark on back. [Envelope (WCP3284.5198)]

Please cite as “WCP3284,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3284