THE NEGRI SEMBILAN. 39 
Another point that must be borne in mind is the succession 
by the female not only to property but also to 
Female suc- title and State revenues. The Sékez or Waris 
cession. adopted the tribal system introduced by the 
Ménangkdabau settlers, and are now termed 
Bédudnda* as atribe. They cannot intermarry. Thus the 
women of the Wars tribe must marry into the Ménangkabau 
tribes, but the children of the marriage are Waris. A Bédudn- 
da man again must marry into one of the Ménangkdabau 
tribes, the offspring in this case being of the tribe of the 
woman, and having no Warvs rights. 
I have already mentioned the first settlers in Sri Méndnti 
and I infer that they had considerable difficulty 
Purchase of in conciliating the Sdkez. The same, I| think, 
land. applied in Rémbau. Both in the Sri Ménanti 
| States, now subdivided into Ulu Muar, Jémpol, 
Térachi, and Gunong Pasir, and also in the State of Rémbau, 
land was purchased by the Lémédga or Chief of tribe, for his 
people, from the Sdkez. The purchase was a piece of cloth, a 
knife or a weapon, a cooking-pot. In the other States the 
Saker placed no obstacles in the way of the Ménangkdabau 
settlers, and lands were cultivated by the tribes without pur- 
chase from the Sékez, though only with their consent. Thus 
throughout the Négri Sémbilan, with the exception of Rém- 
bau and the Sri Méndnti States, the lands are still State lands 
and virtually the property of the Warzs. The tribes are most 
tenacious of their freehold rights ‘‘tanah bértébus.”’ The 
old saying in these two States is ‘“tékek (takokt) 
kayu Batint Fénang,§ putus tébus kapada Undang.’ That 
is, the blazing of the trees (defining of the boundaries) is 
performed by the Baten 7énang,|\| the purchase is decided by 
the Undang. 
Cf. ‘Biduan,’ a player, musician, (Sansk. ‘ vidwas’ skilled.) 
* Takok’ is deeper than ‘takek.’ 
Chief. 
Deputy, probably originally derived from ‘Jénang’ a post, brace, support.” 
|| The Batin and his Jénang (Deputy). 
Artt—- x 
Di Ae Ei, 
