MISSIONARIES AND THEIR BRIDES. 443 



those cannibals to deliver up their intended victim. 

 Sucli a request, of course, it was not possible for the 

 Resident to grant, however much he might wish to 

 do so, for the whole country is extremely mountain- 

 ous, and covered with a dense, impenetrable forest ; 

 and the moment these Battas have finished their at- 

 tack, they instantly retreat into the interior without 

 allo^ving the Dutch the possibility of punishing 

 them, except by subjugating the entire country, and 

 that would be a work of the greatest difficulty, and 

 one that would require much time, and money, and 

 bring no adequate recompense. It is such a common 

 thins: for the foreio-ners here at Siboo-a to hear that 

 one or more natives have been eaten in the neigh- 

 boring mountains, that no one thinks of speaking of 

 it as any thing strange or even incredible. In the 

 Silindong valley two missionaries have been living 

 for some time, trying to educate and convert the 

 Battas. I met one of them with his bride at the 

 governor's residence when I arrived at Padang. The 

 lady had arrived but a short time before from Hol- 

 land, and they were just then starting on their wed- 

 ding tour to their future residence among the canni- 

 bals. The other missionary is now at this village, 

 and I have just been j^resent at his wedding. His 

 wife is a young lady of not more than seventeen 

 summers, and what is stranger than all in both of 

 these matches is, that neither of these gentlemen 

 had seen his betrothed before she arrived, except in 

 a miniature, which of course might or might not be 

 a good likeness. It may relieve the curious for me 

 to state that all parties are entiiely satisfied. 



