OATnS OF FIDELITY. 273 



and Eastern Archipelago adopted the mahnroetan re- 

 ligion, after, it should seem, but slender percmasion. 

 They appear to have slavishly fullowed their convert- 

 ed chief*, and their belief is not perhaps yet so dei p- 

 ly rooted as to he proof against any other well-ma* 

 na;_red religious crusade ; especially if preceded by 

 one of* the pretended prophecies now agitating the 

 ipahometan world, regarding the speedy supereessioa 

 of its religion by another. 



. A considerable portion of the mahometan population 

 9f Keddak since its conquest by the Si a rues*-, has been 

 reconverted to the'Booddhist fkith ! IVrhaps some* 

 thin*;- inure than persuasion may have been employed 

 to effect this. 



Iu the day** of Malayan rule in the neighbouring 

 Statu Eluded to, the defendant iu a eriiniual ease 

 Mas allowed to expunge himself by swearing in a, 

 mosque on a pusaage of the koran, that the charge 

 m ; is tube ! The passage is that beginning with ki Wa 

 Allah, Wa 13'illaii, ta Allah". Witnesses were not 

 required in such atrial. The complainant too, did 

 not take an oath. Sometimes the oath is, amongst 

 the Malays, '* deaii aHah or demi qullam (or kulani) 

 1M1" — u By God, or by the word of God." 



I had an opportunity, when sent on a political mi>- 

 aj hi to the Malayan and mussuimao State of fYrak, 

 which bounds Province Wellcsley on. the south, in 

 18-27, of being present win n the rajah administered 

 the oatlj of allegiance to his cfaiefc Thi-y njere all 

 assembled in the balei, or hall of audience, wlucft 

 wa* partially supplied with solas and ehairs. T|, e 

 kurau Mas placet I on a low stool iu front of the as- 

 sembly, and beside it stood a fargpe jar fi^edwjth 

 Mater, which the the Rajah cofisecrated by dipping, 

 into it that portion of the regalia which consisted of 

 arms and armour. The arms were then placed 



