MISSTONARTES AKD THEIR BRIDES, 



443 



those cannibals to deliver up their intended victim. 

 Sncli a request, of conrse, it was not possible for the 

 Resident to grant, however much he might wish to 

 do sOj for the whole country is extremely mountain- 

 ons, and covered with a dense, impenetrable forest; 

 and the moment these Battas have fimshed their at- 

 tackj they instantly retreat into the interior without 

 allowing the Dutch the possibility of punishing 

 tbem, except by subjugating the eutii'e country, and 

 that would be a work of the greatest difficulty, and 

 one that would require much time, and money, and 

 bring no adequate recompense. It is such a common 

 thing for the foreigners here at Siboga to hear that 

 one or more natives have been eaten in the neigh- 

 boring mountains, that no one thinks of speaking of 

 it as any thing strange or even incredible. In the 

 Silindong valley two missionaries have been living 

 for some time, trying to educate and convert the 

 Battas, I met one of them with his bride at the 

 governor's residence when I ai'rived at Padang. The 

 lady had arrived but a short time before from Hol- 

 land, and they were just then starting on their wed- 

 ding tour to their futm'e residence among the canni- 

 bals. The other missionaiy is now at this village, 

 and I have just been present at his wedding, lli^ 

 wife is a young lady of not more than seventeen 

 suumiers, and what is stranger than all in both of 

 these matches is, that neither of these gentlemen 

 had seen his betrothed before she anived, except in 

 a miniature, which of course might or might not be 

 a good likeuesa. It may relieve the cmious for me 

 to state that all parties are entii'ely satisfied. 



