IN SUMATRA. 145 



extended over the greater part of the Lampongs in return 

 for a yearly tribute. Special services were acknowledged by 

 the bestowal of titles and dignities. These honours and ranks 

 were hereditary, and were at first conferred directly by the 

 Sultan ; but afterwards they could be purchased, with the* 

 assent of the other peers of the marga, from a hereditary 

 Eight-holder, by such as were of faultless " name and fame." 

 A pangJcat, or title, was just as dear to the heart of a Lam- 

 ponger as now to his European brother, and assiduously did 

 he labour to hoard up the necessary sum, and cultivate by 

 presents the good will of the Penyimbangs, in order that he 

 might some day have the pride of occupying one of the seats 

 of honour at marriage feasts and on gala days, almost the 

 only occasions on A^hich the happy possessor of a panghat 

 could be distinguished from his fellows. 



The Order of the Pepadon was the highest conferred by the 

 Sultan. The Pepadon was a great wooden chair, with a high 

 back richly carved, and stood in the Balai. The honour 

 consisted in occupying this seat at feasts and high occasions 

 before the assembled marga, while the Penyimbangs of lesser 

 rank occupied lower seats to right and left. On grand days 

 the Pepadon was often overlaid with gold and silver plates, 

 lent for the occasion by the people of the marga. On his 

 first installation to the Order the new noble ^Aas drawn on a 

 wooden car from his house to the Balai, and if he were of old 

 family it was shaded by a yellow or white canopy. 



If within a marga a person be found murdered, and the 

 murderer cannot be discovered, the whole marga must pay to 

 the relatives a sum of money according to bis rank, as an 

 expiation. On this account all travellers are saluted with, 

 "Where to, master ?" and "Where from, master ?"" Where 

 did you spend last night ? " that there may be some clue as to 

 his whereabouts should he go a-missing ; and of the people 

 among whom he was last seen alive, in order, if possible, 

 to saddle some village with the crime. 



The Order of the Pepadon gave the possessor and his 

 relatives the right, if murdered, to a higher sum of blood- 

 money than any one else. Not only this ; for his daughters 

 he could demand a sum {djudjur) from the man claiming her 

 hand four times as great as from a man who had no rank. 



