IN THE MENAISGKABAW STATES. 171 



river, where tliere are more than one liun-^ 

 dred Malay and Chinese houses, and a 

 market* We were ini'orined that the chief 

 of the state was living at Pan toy, a place 

 about eight or nine miles further, and was 

 then celebrating the rites of a triple mar- 

 riage. Three persons of the royal blood, 

 two cliildren of tlie chief and another of 

 his relations, were contracting marriage 

 with tliree persons of the first famihes 

 amongst their nobility. Wc were informed 

 too that the wedding was one of the most 

 solemn whiclt could be found in a Malay 

 coimlry; fifty buffaloes were to be killed, 

 and two thousand dollars to be expended 

 in buying rice, fowls and other victuals, 

 and also in gunpowder, which is muoli used 

 in such solemnities; the feast was to last for 

 two months, and had already begun some 

 few^ days. As it is not possible, in a Malay 

 country, to go to any place without having 

 first obtained permission froui the chief, we 



