THE MARITIME CODE 



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M A L A Y S. 



By Sib Stamford L'affles, 



P AET II, 



( Continued from Journal No*%p. SLJ 



The long admitted opinion that the Malays possess no records 

 whatever of their laws and customs, and that they are solely 

 governed in their disputes by established customs and usages, re- 

 ferred to as occasion may require from memory onty, seems to 

 have been much strengthened by the observations contained in 

 Mr. Maksdes's account of Sumatra ; which, from its being the only 

 standard book in the English language containing a detailed account 

 of the Eastward, appears to have been considered by many as ap- 

 plying generally, and thus calculated to lit all the countries denomi- 

 nated Malayan ; whereas, the Island of Sumatra possesses in itself 

 an almost inexhaustible fund for research and enquiry; and can 

 only be considered as one of the almost innumerable States, and 

 by no means the greatest in population or even in extent, of that- 

 comprehensive and unparalleled archipelago throughout which 

 the Malayan nation is established. 



The Island of Sumatra, as well as the Island of Java, Tanah 

 Ugi or Bugis land (Celebes), Sulu, and the Moluccas (which, with. 

 Borneo, compose what may be properly termed the Malayan group) 

 arc peopled by nations radically distinct from the Malays ; who 

 speak languages entirely different, and use various written charac» 

 ters original and peculiar to each: these nations are governed by 



