be convince that the Bible is the older book of the 

 two, their veneration tor it would 1h; increased. .Still 

 they would adhere to their objection against taking 

 it n< the guulr of their conduct, that as it was su- 

 perseded by the koran, the dispensation of the later 

 prophet Mahomed is therefore the most orthodox. 

 Di vested as their mint Is are of the severe and repulsive 

 bigotry which di^raees the modems of coulinenta] 

 India, and indeed of the countries of Asia to the west, 

 they are Jitter fitted than these are to mix in com- 

 mercial and social intercourse with people of other 

 persuasions, 



The Malays do not generally coasider the profes- 

 sors of other creeds than theirs, as thrust beyond the 

 pair of salvation. 1 have heard an educated Malay 

 observe that a man only sins when he disobey* the in- 

 junctions of his own luith, and regarding that very indif 

 gestible and orthodox portion of Mussulman dogmas, 

 the ascent of Mahomed to the seventh heaven, that it 

 may be viewed in a metaphorical liglht. 



Some of the rich Maktjs, Saids, and other?, will 

 drink beer and even wine ; but they seldom do it 

 publicly. To the credit of the Malays here, it must 

 be admitted that they are very rarely, if ever, seen 

 under the debasing effects of ardent spirits, and but 

 very seldom indeed of opium. When it is stated that 

 a man may #et quite drunk at the expense of 8 or JO 

 cents or pice, tins first fact is remarkable. The 

 second may be explained by the price of the quantity 

 of this drug" required for complete inebriation. Were 

 cit her case to be otherwise than here represented, the 

 most dreadful mischiefs to society might accrue from 

 such stimulants, acting the warm tempers of men, 

 who have scarcely yet shaken oil the impression that 

 they are the natural avengers of their own wrongs 

 and quarrels, Jt is also a very satisfactory tact that 



