In Hikayat Abdullah, it was stated that there were tunnels built into the hill, which connects the Stadthuys direct to the mouth of Melaka river. It was said to serve as an escape route for the Dutch.
With regards to Munshi Abdullah’s claim that there was a door in the Stadthuys that give direct access to the river, the Dutch conservation architect, Laurens Vis had already confirmed during his investigation of the building, he did not find any secret tunnels or hidden passageways inside the building.