AV SUMATJiAl 



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extended over the greater part of the Lampongs in return 

 for a yearly tribute. Special services were acknowledged by 

 the bestowal of titles and dignities. These honours and ranks 

 were horcditary, atid were at first conferred directly by the 

 Hultan ; but afterwards they could be purchased, with the 

 afiseut of the other peers of the marga, from a hereditary 

 Right-hohler, by such as were of faultless '' name and fame." 

 A ^ngkatf or ti tle, was just as dear to the heart of a Lam- 

 ponger ns now toTiis European brother, and assiduously did 

 he labour to hoard up the necessary sum, and cultivate by 

 presents the goo<l will of the Peuyimbangs, in order that be 

 might some day hare the pride of occupying one of the seats 

 of honour at marriage feasts and on gala days, almost the 

 only occasions on wliich the happy possessor of a jmnglcai 

 could be distinguished from his follows. 



The Order of the Fepadon was the highest conferred by the 

 Sultau. The Pepadon was a great wooden chair, with a high 

 back richly earved, and stocKl in the Bah\i. The honour 

 consisted in occupying this seat at feasts and high occasions 

 before the assembled marga, while the Peuyimbangs of lesser 

 rank occupied lower seats to right and left. On grand days 

 the Pepadon was often overlaid with gold and silver plates, 

 lent for the occasion by the people of the marga. On his 

 first installation to the Order the new noble was drawn on a 

 wocMlen car from his house to the Balai, and if he were of old 

 family it was shaded by a yellow or white canopy. 



If within a marga a person be found murdered, and the 

 murderer cannot be discovered, the whole marga must pay to 

 the relatives a sum of money according to his rank, as an 

 expiation. On this account all travellers are saluted mth, \ 

 "Where to, master?" aud " Where from, master? " "Where 

 did you spend last night? " that there may he some clue as to/ 

 his whereabouts should he go a-missing; and of the people 

 among whom he was last seen alive, in order, if possible,! 

 to saddle some village with the crime. 



The Order of the Pepadon gave the pc^sesaor and his 

 relatives the right, if murdered, to a higher sum of blood- 

 money than any one else. Not only this ; for his daughters 

 he could demand a sum (djudjur) from the man claiming her 

 hand four times as great as from a man who had no rank. 



