** mid this is the reason that so fm ever aitam it, f&r 

 " thc^ hiU every om who falis siclc^ kjbre that pe- 

 " r/W/"(') Although Uiis account correstponds in 

 ** some particulars with the habits of tlie Battas, yet 

 " it diflfers materially in others. Tlie Battas, it 

 " is well known* inhabit the central parts of Su- 



matra and but rarely approach the sea shore, 

 ** They could not therefore be termed icthyo- 

 " phagi, as they scarcely see fish. The Orang 

 " Laut of the present day are not known to be 



addicted to cannibalism, though it is extremely 

 ** probable they were m former times, a« they 



yet retain all the charactcri.^tics of the mo^t 

 ** savage life. They rove about from one island 



to another, and are found in greatest numbers 

 ** about the Laocavy groups of islands opposite 

 ** Kedah and ia the straits of Sincapore and 

 " Dryon/'* 



I have been particular in thus quoting the whole 

 of Mr. Anderson s argument, because it appears 

 to me that he has misunderstood Dr. Leyden. 

 The latter gentleman, so far from confounding 

 the Paday or Battas with the icthyophagi, calls 

 the former * •* another Indian nation who dwdl to 

 •* the tasiwat^d. of these (the Indian icthyophagi}" ' 

 and he further states as follows. " The Batta 

 language^ which I regard as the most ancient 

 language of Sumatra, is used by the Batta tribes, 

 who chiefly occupy the cadre of that island. The 

 singularity of their manners, and, in particular, 

 the horrid custom of anthropophagy practiced 

 by a nation, in other respecta more civilized than 



(i) Hetodoiiss liber S. 8. 90, 



• Ajid«r»ii*i C«uld«f«tiAii« wtatftt to Uie Malmyan Peainiiii*, 

 Ap{>co4U pp' 3d* 



0/ 



