Cm mi,. 



Jirel ty sure how matters would end — (he had com- 

 mittal murder) was heard to 'exclaim * M what fa 

 the use of fattening me up; better hang me at once!'* 

 So late, how ever/ as two years ago, a. i\ Jala \ named 

 Mat Prawy, who had hc< n a noted depredator, but not 

 a murderer, in Penang harbour, during a period o* 

 three yean;!, ventured to establish himself in the 

 tfu< k mangrove jungle betwixt j Pry and Juru, 

 in Province Wellcsley. As he had cunningly con- 

 fined Ins excursions to the prahus of trading Malays 

 coming from foreign port.-, then- « as nothing tangible 

 for a magistrate, until he stole a boat in that Pro- 

 vince. A strong parly of armed police pene- 

 trated with difficulty through the mud ami jun- 

 gle, to his haunt. lie and his gang, consisting of 

 about twenty men, were taken by surprise, but had 

 they stood firm they might have killed half at least 

 of the police, who were sljti.^ ling hi the deep mud. 

 Mat Prawy was forsaken by his 20 companions, but 

 he disdained flight, drew his sword, and would have 

 cut down the constable, had not a peon fired over 

 the shoulder of the latter and killed the pirate on the 

 spot. This encounter, and the dispersion of the 

 gang, has deterred others from being so daring. 



The British judicial code presupposes that every 

 Jjriii.Nh subject is fully aware of the laws to which he 

 is amenable, lint amaigst the bulk of the natives 

 here, this dictum becomes little letter than a law 

 fiction. If too, as has been stated, die fear of death 

 has but a slender influence in preventing crime, the 

 improvement of popular morals will be proportional- 

 ly slow. 



The natives of the Straits Settlements take but 

 slender pains to protect their lives and property. % A 

 man's house ought to be substantial before he can 

 reasonably claim the right to call it his castle. This 



