a06 ON THE MALA'YU NATION. 



far as they may have been generally adopted by the Malay 

 of Maldca, and may have given rise to that sanguinary < ■ 

 which the Malays are usually supposed to be characterized 



Those of Side have a peculiar interest, from the long established con- 

 nection between that state and the Menangcdbaws in the interior of Su- 

 matra. The Side river takes its rise in the Menangcdbaw country, and 

 has obviously been the principal outlet from the rich and populous coun- 

 tries in the interior, of which so little is known. 



The Malay customs and usages on the west' coast of Sumatra, I appre- 

 hend to be so much blended with those of the more original inhabitants 

 of the island, that even if there was a state among them of sufficient im- 

 portance to have its .own institutions, it would scarcely deserve considera- 

 tion, in the general arrangement of what is purely Malayan , and they are 

 consequently little attended to. 



Of the Malay Peninsula, the principal states entitled to notice on the 

 western side, are those of Kedeh, Maldca and Johdr; and on the eastern s 

 those of Tringdno, Patdni and Pahang. From these I have obtained and 

 collected .several* copies of the Undang Undang Kedeh, the XJndang Un~ 

 dang Maldca., mid the Undang Undang Johdr. The states on the eastern 

 side of the peninsula, with the exception of Patdni, which has been con- 

 siderably influenced by the Siamese, seem .generally to have admitted the 

 superiority of the Malay government, first established at Sirihapiira, and 

 .afterwards at Johdr. 



On the island of Borneo, the several Malay states have regulations and 

 institutions peculiar to each, though not differing in any material degree 

 from those of the peninsula. Some of these I have already obtained- 

 m whole, and others in part. 



IBM 



