REMBAU HISTORY, ETC. 39 
But the office of Elder has a reverse side—its relation to 
the tribal chief (lémbaga). 
The official life or death of the Elder, says the custom, are 
in the hands of the lémbaga (Ibu bapa hidup mati kapada 
iémbaga). 
The tribal chief cannot appoint an Elder directly, but the 
selection of the tribe is contingent on his approval: and he has 
a free hand in the dismissal of his Elders. 
“Tf an elephant die,’ so the saying runs, © his tusks re- 
main, if a tiger his stripes, if a serpent his markings, if a man 
his doings.”’” Of all the doings of his “ children” an Elder must 
be fully aware. He must be able to supply the tribal chief 
with a detailed history of every dispute or quarrel brought to 
the lémbaga for settlement. His ignorance of the © doings” 
is attributed either to neglect of duty, or to the sheltering of 
an offender and warrants the dismissal of the Elder from 
office. ; 
Yet the Elder incurs an equal risk of deposition should he 
attempt to settle any question falling outside the narrow field 
of his powers. For there too he is sheltering (mélindong) some 
offender from a greater penalty than he, as Elder, can inflict, 
and playing the traitor (méndérhaka) to his lémbaga. The 
least dereliction of his own duties or the smallest trespass on 
another’s are grave offences for the Jbu Bapa. 
(1) v. Saying No. XXXVII. 
(2) Mati cajah tinggal gadingnya: mati rimau tinggal bdangnya; 
mati ular tinggal telannya; mati orang tinggal buatannya. 
R. A. Soc., No. 56, 1910. 
