Add MS 12355

Part of a series of Bugis diaries from the court of Bone, Add. 12354-7.

Diary running from A.D. 1774 to 30 July 1787; from Aug. 1787 to the end of 1793 the dates are not filled in, the months April-July 1793 are missing, and a torn leaf for Aug. 1793 is pasted in on f. 175. One gets the impression that the diary, which is in different hands, was kept by a person (perhaps the Ma'danrĕng?) or persons living in the immediate vicinity of the king. Many communications in the diary itself and in the notes made on ff. originally left blank are of limited importance; in some months they are very few and in some entirely absent. Apart from information about the political situation and military operations, most notes deal with voyages, arrivals, departures, visitors, marriages, births, deaths, visits to venerated tombs, etc. Among the diary notes are recorded the taking of Goa‚ 28 June 1778 (f. 34r), and the investiture of the Arumpone on 8-11 May 1785 (f. 84r.) (on ff. 168v.169v. a description of an investiture, as found in many Buginese MSS). On ff. 141r.147r. an astronomical, meteorological, and agricultural calendar. On ff. 147v.149r. a tract on auspicious and inauspicious days (on the authority of Ja‘far aṣ-Ṣādik). On ff. 149v.153r. agricultural advice. On ff. 153v.155r., 157v.167v. kutika. on f. 76r. dimensions of old palaces. The following Makasarese items are found: political discussions on the occasion of a meeting between the Dutch Governor and the Ma'danrĕng (f. 37v.); a cui poem (cf. Matthes, 1883, pp. 4278) (f. 52r.); prayers of the king of Tallo', Karaeng Matoaya (f. 65v.); a letter from the Dutch petoro' in Maros (pasted in at f. 1121.); on the old conception of the cosmic system (ff. 155v.156r); on solar and lunar eclipses (ff. 156r-156v.). The following Malay items are found: pantuns in a local Malay in Buginese script, which makes reading difficult (ff. 44v. and 72v.). On f. 51v. are a few lines of Arabic erotic-mystical poetry with a Buginese translation. See Matthes, 1875, p. 93. (This description from Dr. A. A. Cense).