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of that family under the title of lang de Pertuati 

 Besar. As the saDcLioa of the Dutch was requi- 

 site to thi^ appointment, it was settled that, 

 whatever individual should be nominated to this 

 office by MenaB^;kabow. lie should produce to 

 the Malacca auihunties, previous to his passing 

 into the inierioi , a document termed Tarumpah, 

 which was to exhibit in a correct and unimpeach- 

 able manner the genealogical tree uf the house of 

 Menangkabow, and bib own connectiou there- 

 with; failing in these particulars, his title became. 

 ipso faclo, invalicU and fell to the ground like an 

 autumnal leaf. But even, when fully recoguized, 

 the lang de Pertuan Besar is destitute of any 

 insignia of authority either in private, or in pub- 

 lic, and receives neither taxes as a sovereign- 

 tribute as from Uependencies, nor presents under 

 the implication of homage: the only functions 

 M'luch be exerciges, and revenues which he de- 

 rives, are the giving his decision in disputes be- 

 tween ryots and settling ali such matters as may 

 be referred by the Panghooloos to him for final 

 arbitration, and the appropriation of the fines in 

 every casein which his jtidgenieot has been pass- 

 ed. He also receives presents on births, majri- 

 ages, or deaths, and contributions in a state neces- 

 sity, in a manner similar to the Panghooloos Be- 

 lantye. 



But, although, strictly speaking, the lang de 

 Pertuan Besar requires both the confirmation of 

 Malacca, and the permission of its authorities be- 

 ^re he can pass into the interior, the custom ap- 

 pears of late years to have fallen into desuetude. 

 Lengan Lawoot, who was appointed somewhere 



