Kuala Linggi Fort is one of those Malaysian places with multiple names namely Dutch Fort, Fort Supai and Filipina Fort (named after the daughter of the Governor General of the Dutch East India Company, Jacob Mosel).
It is located in the north-west corner of Melaka on a headland on the south bank of the Sungai Linggi estuary and with a view of the Straits of Melaka.
History
Following a short war in 1757 between the Dutch, who occupied Melaka at the time, and the Bugis, who were vying for influence in this area, both sides agreed to jointly build Kuala Linggi Fort as a gesture of reconciliation.
The fort's strategic position served two purposes :
- It marked the northern most point of the Dutch sphere of influence, where Melaka borders Negeri Sembilan, and
- It enabled the Dutch to monitor and control the movements of all ship on the Singai Linggi and this stretch of the Straits. In particular, the shipment of tin ore from mines in the Sungai Linggi and Sungai Rembau basins would have to travel past this point where it could be intercepted and taxed by the Dutch.
The fort was manned by a company of mercenaries, probably sepoys from India which is the likely source of the word 'Supai', supported by a few Dutch soldiers. This arrangement with the Bugis did not last long and the Dutch abandoned the fort soon after its completion.
Some archaeological excavations were carried out here few years ago and they found some old coins, a broken cannon and some clay pots.
A number of cannon reproductions (made from concrete) have been placed around the fort for effect and a few picnic gazebos were constructed. The walls of the fort is made up of laterite rocks stacked up with a moat around some parts of the fort.
Admission is free.
The geocache
The geocache is a small glass bottle with a green cover. If you are lucky, you might even see a few silver leaf langurs sitting near the hide. These langurs are rather shy and will run away as you approach.