274 OATHS — RETOTBrTlOff. 



leaning against a pillar, and a small regal crown of gold 

 put over the mouth of the jar. The chiefs then 

 swore fidelity on these regalia. 



The belief— somct inns pretended— amongst the 

 Malayan ntahumelans here, k that perjury will he 

 visited on the offender within seven £aj 8, or seven 

 months, or seven years, by temporal punishment, 

 and also by future retribution. Marvellous Btoriea 

 are current and credited, of sudden death happening 

 to perjurers* It is just possible that, on some occa* 

 Itofcj a revnlsfon of remorse, fear, or superstition, may 

 lave produced death. But it cannot have isenped 

 the notice of those M ho have long resided in the Eaat, 

 that notwithstanding all the terrors and denunola* 

 tir us of superstition, vith its ijiterminuble list of su- 

 p natural agencies, there ft not perhaps one thief 

 iu fifty, who is doteeted by the jufrf?lin^ urdenls and 

 mummery of the professed thief-taker. 



The Imaums in the Straits will inform any inquirer 

 that iu. y consider it superfluous to tender an oath 

 to a fvue believer, although they grant that Ihue 

 may be some difficulty in ascertaining this last poiui 

 i he mahometans art; in general, prevented by 

 the simplicity of their religion, cojppared with the 

 MolatrWs systems of the East, from investing the pane* 

 lion »f an oath with any very appalling iorms, and the 

 appeal is therefore, in their ease, made pretty directly 

 to the emuricnee. It hnsoften happened that a plaintiff 

 or complainant (without reference to his religion) 

 1ms expressed in an English Conn here, his wfliipg- 

 nesa to rest satisfied, and to withdraw Ills complaint, 

 provided thed< ft ndant wou$ swear that the lalier wal 

 tldse; nut that the plaJatW believed that ihe . drfi-ndant 

 would *p*|k the truth by such a denial, bat because 

 tie hoped that he should lie avenged in the retribu- 

 tion * inch would follow the perjury. Such a mode o* 



i 



