20 M A L A Y A N I S L E S. 



air of myftery furrounds his court; he iffues out dicflatorial 

 edids, which are received with refpe^l ; but attended to no far- 

 ther than is confident with the interefts or pleafare of them to 

 whom they are addrcffed. All the Sumatrmts are originally de- 

 rived from the MalayeSy or inhabitants of the peninfula of Ma- 

 lacca \ when f})oken of in this ifland, the word Malaye implies 

 the Mahomet ansy who chiefly inhabit the coafts. Mahomet anijnt 

 is the rehgion of all the Malaye governments ; all obferve the 



Feudal feudal fyftem, and commute the punifhment of crimes for 



Custom. 



money, which have their price as cultomary among the Ger- 

 mans and Britons. Murder, as well as other crimes, having its 

 price ; this cuftom is a dreadful encouragement, particularly fince 

 the Daltoos ormagiftrates receive the ranfom. Our fadtory was 

 defirous of putting a flop to the frequent affaflinations, but was 

 told by the Daltoo that he fliould be a lofer, as he got twenty 

 dollars a head when the families profecuted. Some of thefe 

 governments are very antient, being formed foon after the firll 

 population of the ifland. Metiangecabouo is one which received 

 the Mahometan faith in later times from the Malay es of Ma- 

 lacca, who had made a conqueft of their antecedent brethren. 



In p. 33 of the preceding volume, I have given the general de- 

 fcription of the perfons of the Malayes. I cannot help thinking 

 that thole of Malacca were a diftind^ people, who drove the an- 

 tient inhabitants of the peninfula to take refuge in Sumatra,\v\\t\:Q 

 they retain their language and alphabet, and that the Malayes in 

 future times re-conquered the defcendants of thefe refugees, and 

 each ftill retain their peculiar language and writing. 



I SHALL 



