148 ON THE MALA'YU NATION. 



crew that is so hired for wages, because no person can perform the duty 

 of two. If the Nakhodah cannot find a substitute, the wages shall remain 

 in his hands, and he shall divide the sick-man's share of the cargo, and 

 property in the vessel, among the rest of the crew. 



<&£^£M 



CHAPTER III, 



Of persons who may be in distress, or who have been wrecked at Sea, 



(Orang Car am.) 



" THESE are the laws relating to persons who may be in distress, or 

 suffer from hunger., in consequence of a scarcity of rice and paddy in their 

 country. 



w If at a time when, in consequence of its having pleased the Almighty 

 to visit the Rajas and nobles with dissentions, or owing to a state of war, 

 there shall be great distress in any country from the want of food, the 

 poor and wretched shall say to the rich, " take us as your slaves, but give 

 us to eat," and if afterwards the persons who have relieved them, shall be 

 desirous of selling them, when the country has recovered from its distress, 

 it is the law that they shall give notice thereof to the Orang Besar or 

 principal people, and the magistrate shall direct that the parties be not 

 sold, because they were distressed at the time of the agreement. The 

 magistrate shall, however, order that the person who provided the food, 

 shall have a claim on the person who received it, to the extent of one 

 half of the amount of his value, 



