104 ON THE MALA'YU NATION. 



language, it need not be attended to here, where the subjt 

 hided to, in order to fix those boundaries to which the Ma 

 tends, and for establishing such distinctions and general 

 may assist in its explanation, and more. ready comprehension. 



The laws and customs of the Malays, may be considered, either 

 separately, or as they have reference to those of the more ancient and 

 original inhabitants of the eastern islands, with whom they are now so 

 intimately connected. What may be termed, cthfi proper *Iaws and 

 customs of the Malay u nation, as it. at present .exists, will first be ad- 

 verted to. 



Independent of the laws of the Koran, .which are more or'less observed 

 in the various Malay states, according to the influence of their Arabian 

 and Muhammedan teachers, hut-seldom, further than they affect matters of 

 religion, marriage and inheritance ; the Malay states possess several codes 

 of laws denominated Undang Undang, or Institutions, of different antiquity 

 and authority, compiled by their respective sovereigns : and every state of 

 any extent possesses its own Undang Undang. Throughout the whole, 

 there appears a general accordance, and where they differ it is seldom be« 

 yond what situation, superior advantages, and authority have naturally dic- 

 tated. Many of the Undang Undang, contain the mere regulations for 

 the collection of the duties for trade, and the peculiar observations of the 

 port, while others ascend to the higher branches. of civil and criminal law. 



From the comparative rude- and uncivilized character: of the Malay na- 

 tion, neither learned disquisition nor very ; close coincidence is to be look- 

 ed for ; but simple ideas simply expressed, may illustrate character better, 

 than scientific arrangement or refined .composition. And in this point of 



