272 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



certain part of their rice and sago, and provide men to 

 row his prau or to carry his chair, if he proceeded by 

 land, but they have been freed from this onerous 

 service, and the Malays who live in the village with 

 the rajah are obliged to perform such offices for 

 him. In regard to marriage, each man buys his wife, 

 her price, according to theii' laws, depending on the 

 rank of her father, as in Ceram, but a man is not, 

 however, requii'ed to cut off a human head before he 

 can be allowed to marry, as is the custom in that 

 island. Instead, therefore, of being fierce head-hunt- 

 ers, as the Alfara of Ceram, they are mild and in- 

 offensive. They believe, according to Mr. Miller, in 

 one Supreme Being, who made every thing, and is 

 the soui'ce of all good and all evil. They believe in 

 evil spirits. Prayer leads to prosperity; the negli- 

 gence of this duty to adversity. Through the love 

 that this Supreme Being had for man, whom He had 

 created, He sent him a teacher, Nabiata, who lived 

 among the mountains. He gave the will of his 

 Master in seven commandments, namely: 1. Thou 

 shalt not kill nor wound. 2. Thou shalt not steal. 

 3. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 4. Thou shalt 

 not set thyself against t\j fenna. 5. A man shall not 

 set himself up against the chief of his tribe. 6. The 

 chief shall not set himself vq) against him that is over 

 his or other tribes. 7. The chief over more than one 

 tribe shall not set himself up against him who is 

 placed over all the tribes. Nabiata also taught that, 

 though the body perishes, the soul shall still continue 

 to exist. They who have kept the foregoing com- 

 mandments — for all the acts of men are recorded by 



