MALAY LAND TENURE. 129 



" death of parents the whole of their property will be divided 

 " amongst all the children in equal parts/' * 



In Siam, according to Colonel Low, f " the property of an 

 11 intestate person, should he leave no legal heirs, escheats to 

 " the King, who generally contrvies to get a portion of the 

 " estate of every person deceased. Wills are written or made 

 " verbally, in the presence of competent witnesses ; and may 

 " not be confounded with alienation by gift. Real and per- 

 " sonal property may be willed and gif:ed away to any one, 

 " and, as hereditaments, descend to, and are without distinc- 

 " tion divided amongst, the heirs at law. The laws of inheri- 

 " tance are considered as applying chiefly to heads of families. 

 " Under this view, the property of a man deceased is divided 

 " into three portions. One goes to the parents and grand 

 " parents, one to the widow, and the third to the children 

 " and other relations on the man's side according to priority. 

 (i But should the man not have cohabited so long as three 

 " years with his wife, she will only receive one- third of a por- 

 " tion or part." 



"The distribution of the property takes effect after the 

 " solemnization of the obsequies ; and should a claimant, 

 " having the power and opportunity so to do, neglect to put 

 " in his claim previous to the termination of the obsequies, he 

 " forfeits his right/' 



" A person claiming inheritance must personally appear ; 

 " substitutes being inadmissible. Heirs to property must 

 " assist at and bear their share of the charge for obsequies, 

 " exceptions being made for those who cannot, from the nature 

 " of circumstances, be present." 



" Before property is divided, the debts of the deceased are 

 " to be punctually paid, and competent witnesses must be pre- 

 " sent at the division. It does not appear that any distinction 

 " is drawn betwixt property of which a female may be pos- 

 " sessed, and that left by a man : both are divided on similar 

 " principles. The eldest child, whether male or female, gets 

 " the largest share. Should the individual have no parents, 



* Jowrn. Ind. Arch., II, 2G9, 

 t Id. t I, 844. 



