232 Sir Joun D’Orxy’s Sketch of the 
village, who meet at an Ambalam, or a shady tree, or other central place, 
upon the occurrence of any civil or criminal matter, as disputes regarding 
limits, debts, thefts, quarrels, &c.; and after enquiring into the case, if pos- 
sible settle it amicably, declaring the party which is in default, adjudge 
restitution or compensation, and dismissing with reproof and admonition, 
their endeavours being directed to compromise and not to punishment, 
It frequently happens that a head man in office is one of the assembly, in 
which case a fine is sometimes levied for offences, and in some desavonies is 
shared with the other assessors. 
The following General Rules and Customs observed in Judicial Matters may be 
here mentioned : 
No chief can interfere with decrees passed or grants made by the King’s 
authority, or with decrees passed by the Great Court, except for the purpose 
of confirming them. 
If the defendant in a suit repeatedly fail to appear, and evade a hearing, 
provisional decrees are sometimes granted in favour of the plaintiff; this pro- 
cess usually compels appearance, and the suit is thereupon duly investigated. 
Any chief in office can rehear cases decided by his predecessors, and 
reverse their written decision. 
In the Seven Korles two or three adverse decrees will sometimes be found 
in the possession of both litigant parties for the same land, but such abuses 
are not frequent in other provinces. 
In criminal as well as civil cases, it is customary to admit the evidence of 
the complainant, his near relations, his slaves, or servants. 
It is a general rule that fees or presents given to a chief for the purpose of 
gaining a suit, or promoting any other object, must be returned on demand if 
the suit be lost, or if the object be not accomplished. 
If, after full enquiry and examination of all the evidence on both sides, a 
case should still be doubtful, it is customary to decide it by oath, of which 
the several species will be shortly explained. 
General Observations. 
This system of judicial administration evidently marks a barbarous state 
of society; but if it were purely administered, is apparently as well calcu- 
lated to afford the means of justice as any which could exist under a 
despotic government, in which the executive and judicial powers are united ; 
every individual having the liberty of seeking redress, first by application to 
