34 INDIA BEYOND THE GANGES. 



" nro, the Celebes, or Macajfar, the Moluccas, the Pbillippines, and 

 " thofe innumerable illands of the Archipelago, which bound 

 " AJia on the eaft, and which occupy an extent of feven hundred 

 " leagues in longitude from eaft to weft, by about fix hundred of 

 " latitude from north to fouth. The inhabitants of all thefe 

 *' iflands, thofe at leaft upon the coafts, are the fame people^ 

 " they fpeak almoft the fame language, have the fame laws, the 

 " fame manners. — Is it not fomewhat lingular, th.at this nation, 

 *' whofe pofteflions are fo extenfive, fliould fcarce be known in 

 ■" Europe? I fliall endeavor to give you an idea of thofe laws, 

 " and thofe manners; you will, from thence, eafily judge of 

 " their agriculture. 



*' Travellers who make obfervations on the Malais, are 

 " aftonilhed to find, in the center of Afia, under the fcorching 

 *' climate of the line, the laws, the manners, the cuftoms, and 

 *• the prejudices of the antient inhabitants of the north oi Eu- 

 <* rope. The Malais are governed by feudal laws, that capri- 

 ** cious fyftem, conceived for the defence of the liberty of a few 

 " againft the tyranny of one, whilft the multitude is fabjeifled 

 " to flavery and oppreffion. 



" A CHIEF, who has the title of king or fultan, ilTues his 

 " commands to his great vaffals, who obey when they think 

 " proper ; thefe have inferior vaftal?, who often acSlin the fame 

 " manner with regard to them. A fmall part of the nation live 

 " independent, under the title ofOramcai or noble, and fell their 

 " fervices to thofe who pay them heft; whilft the body of the 

 " nation is compofed of flaves, and live in perpetual fervitude. 



" With thefe laws the Malais are reftlefs, fond of navigation, 

 6 " war. 



