CHAPTER XVIII. 



MIGRATIONS BY LAND. 



We are unacquainted at the present day, with " men living in the 

 state of nature;" or devoid of all communicated knovvdedge. Some 

 idea, however, of such an original state, may be gathered from the 

 condition of certain uncivilized tribes ; but not on the continents. 

 Where intercommunication is universal, manners assimilate, changes 

 become general, and society in some shape, seems an unavoidable 

 result. 



Islands, afford more scope for the developement of local and inde- 

 pendent institutions; and one portion of the globe, situated aloof from 

 continental influence, more particularly demands attention : an island- 

 world, where the widely-extended coasts have been for ages occupied 

 by invading maritime tribes, to the seclusion of tlie peo})le of the In- 

 terior. Man, in some of the larger East India islands, presents phases, 

 difficult to be comprehended by those who have seen him only orn 

 coasts and continents. 



I have selected, from authorities which I think may be relied on, 

 the four following examples of Life in the East Indies. And it will 

 be observed : that some of the tribes spoken of, are in the ' hunter 

 state,' and live on the spontaneous products of the land; a circum- 

 stance, rare among islands: where, moreover, the proper 'pastoral 

 state,' appears to be quite unknown. 



1. I shall notice in the first place, the Battas of Sumatra; and 

 chiefly, on account of the extraordinary character of some of their 

 customs: for compared with many tribes in the same quarter of the 

 globe, they are an advanced, and in some respects even a polished 

 people. Tliey cultivate tlie soil, have a division of landed property, 

 a currency, a regular system of laws and government, an alphabet, 



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