82 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES 



loo says tlie same, and con firms it by tJie 

 following fact. — ff A few years ago tiie iate 

 Pangliulu of Siingei Ujong, KIan;i Leher, 

 died, leaving two nepliews, kawal and 

 Bhair. It is an ancient custom prevalent 

 still in the interior, and, I believe, gene- 

 rally throiigliout Malayan nations, that, 

 wlien a chief dies, his successor must be 

 elected on the spot, and before tlic inter- 

 ment of the corpse (which is not unfre- 

 quently defe red througli the observance 

 of this usage to a cmisi durable length of 

 lime); otherwise the election does not bold 

 good. 



tNow^ it happened that Kawal was ab- 

 sent at the time of Pangbulu Leber's death. 

 The three Sukus and one of the twelve Ba- 

 tins took advantage of Bb air's being on the 

 spot, elected him, and buried the body of 

 the deceased chief. Against ibis proceeding, 

 the Hajab de Rajali, and ilic remainder of 

 the elective body, the eleven Batins, pro- 



