HILLS NEAR RA'jAMAHALL. 8l 



arbitration, or on any committee to settle trivial dif- 

 ferences. 



Formerly, when a man of one village had a claim 

 upon an inhabitant of another, it was not uncom- 

 mon, if the latter denied it, and refused to have the 

 matter brought to trial, for the complainant to ap- 

 ply to the chief of his village, to unite with the 

 heads of one or two others, to whom presents were 

 made in proportion to the nature of the dispute, to 

 form a junction with all their vassals to plunder 

 the village where justice was denied, and to carry 

 off the offender : the division of. the booty was ac- 

 cording to the rates allowed the Maungies, their 

 officers, and vassals. In such troublesome times much 

 was not taken, as ail property, not of immediate 

 use for domestic purposes, was usually concealed; 

 the chiefs could therefore only have the first choice 

 of the utensils and apparel which fell into their 

 hands. The relations and chief of the village from 

 which the captive was taken, after some time were 

 wont to send a present to the complainant, acknow- 

 ledging the demand ; and promising to abide by the 

 award which arbitrators should give, on his being 

 released : these conditions were complied with, the 

 prisoner was enlarged, and he and his relations had to 

 make good the loss sustained by the inhabitants of 

 the plundered village, as well as to pay the costs of 

 the arbitration. 



It some times happened on such pccasions as the 

 above, that the inhabitants of the village intended 

 to be plundered, got intelligence of the design, and 



Vol. IV. G the 



