J48 PRICE OF A WIFE. 



themselves into slavery, or become bound to serve for 

 their wives. In former times their services never 

 expired, but they are now limited, a certain reduction 

 being made monthly for the services of the man ; if he 

 has married a slave. The price paid amongst the poor 

 people for their wives is generally about the same as 

 that at which the woman would be valued if a slave. 

 In consequence of this scarcity and demand for women, 

 daughters are not, as in some other Eastern countries, 

 considered a burthen, but are nourished and cherished 

 with the same care as the sons, who are always well 

 treated by their parents, the Malays being passionately 

 fond of their children. Instances in which children are 

 neglected or unkindly treated are very rare, while those 

 in which an excess of fondness is injurious to their 

 offspring are of frequent occurrence : the avaricious 

 old Dattu Tumunggong of Sarawak is the only instance 

 which came under my notice of a father treating his son 

 unkindly. This was caused by the notice taken by the 

 Europeans of the youth, who is a highly respectable 

 trader of the town. The old man fancied that his son 

 envied his title, and wished to gain sufficient influence 

 with the Europeans to induce the rajah to supersede 

 him, and confer his rank upon the son, who was already, 

 by successful trade, quite independent of the Dattu. 



The peculiar feature of the Malayan character which, 

 under circumstances of dejection of spirit, of fear, or of 

 losses, causes their madness to assume that wild and 

 destructive form known to the English as running 

 a-muck, and by the natives themselves called meng-a- 



