31 



from ttie Malays i>r Cfiinesc — but very 

 few of tUein are professional ^inoken, 

 and they generally give it up before 

 marriage. However puor, the Man- 

 tras are ^reat gamblers^ tliGir women 

 flbatidon theiiiaelves to it with p&Gstony 

 and seireral ol them have contracted 

 debttt of a conialdcr&ble amount in pro- 

 portion to their ineati9» 

 Certain writcrt*, from not having car e- 

 fdllj studied those savaj^c tribes whose 

 custorne they have desired to relate to 

 U9, picture iheni to ua aa having pre 

 served thdr pnuik'ivc innocence in- 

 tact; and there are even tboee who 

 jt^te that they )»avc never remarked, 

 among the tt ibea which thej^ have vi- 

 gvted, any hiditiaiVon of sin. I am sure 

 that a more intimate study of their 

 outicoms, and a better knowledge of 

 their lan^ua-^e, would have proved to 

 them how nece^ssary oven for their phy- 

 sical n'clfare, ivas tlie introduetion of 

 Christianity. — If L bud been hurried in- 

 to writing an account of the Mantras I 

 should probably liavc*pii!ised upon them 

 a judgment similar to timt which other 

 writers have pass^ed upon other savage 

 tribe*. A longer jsojourn, Siowever, 

 among tbe^c wandering tribes, haii 

 taught me that from among carnal mn« 

 they only exclude one, tis Rape. DU 

 wrce 16 usual among thcnj, and ftllow- 

 ed by lafp ; they frequently marry ivith^ 

 out previQueiy knowing one another, 

 and live together with out ioviiig* Is 



