OF THE MALAY PSSftStiVttk. 179 



In Sclangor it is hardly an exaggeration to say that 

 every man over twenty years o£ age, whom you met on the road, 

 had killed at least one man. Indeed it was considered rather a 

 a reproach on any one who had not done so, and even now (1875) 

 those Rajas are looked on with the greatest respect who can boast 

 the longest list of victims. One Selangor Raja was reputed, and 

 indeed acknowledged it himself, to have killed ninety-nine men, 

 another forty, and several over twenty each ; whilst even the women 

 were not unaccustomed to the use of deadly weapons against each 

 other. 



It is stated that a man was leaving Langat to go up the river, 

 some year or two ago, when, as he left, a friend on the bank said 

 " You had better take care, there are said to be forts on the river." 

 The next morning, a Raja, having been told of the remark, 

 met this friend, and striking him in the mouth with his kriss, 

 killed him, with the simple remark " Mulutnia terlampau jahat " — 

 i. e., " He had a very wicked mouth. ' ; 



Not long ago, another Raja at Langat punished two of his 

 father's female debt slaves, who had attempted to escape from 

 bondage, by having their heads held under water in the river 

 till they were dead. 



These cases were quoted to me by the actors or lookers on in 

 the scenes, and I could multiply them ad nauseam. A Chinese, 

 some years resident in Langat, speaking of the frequent use of 

 deadly weapons in that place but a year or two ago, said " Every 

 one in Langat carried weapons, and used them without let, 

 hindrance, or hesitation, even cowards became brave after a short 

 residence in Bandar Termasa (Langat)." Murders for a hasty 

 word, or a debt of a few dollars, or perhaps cents, were of weekly 

 occurrence. 



Countries where such cases as these were too common to 

 afford remark for more than a day, were not likely to offer much 

 inducement to foreigners to invest their capital, or trust their 

 lives in ; and Selangor, except in Klang and Lukut, is almost an 

 unknown countrv. 



