226 



Hlstori/ of the Ramoossies. 



[July 



to their o^vn followers. The natives in the exercise of 

 this power, were always very desirous of hearing the cri- 

 minal confess his guilt of the crime laid to his charge. 

 To liie judge it commonly mattered little, under what 

 circumstances the unfortunate man uttered the words 

 guilty/' whether the confession was voluntary, or whe- 

 ther extorted from him ; but his admission of guilt 

 seemed to operate as a salve to the conscience of his 

 judge, and sentence was unhesitatingly passed upon 

 him. It is also a subject of complaint, that persons of 

 desperate and bad character are set at liberty, after hav- 

 ing undergone punishment, (probably of hard labour,) 

 without having previously exacted security from them 

 for their future good behaviour. Their object in requir- 

 ing security here, is chiefly with the view of checking 

 the spirit of revenge in which they are knovN'n to indulge. 

 This mode of proceeding w ould, I believe, be in confor- 

 mity with the principles of our laws, and being conso- 

 nant with the ideas of the native community, it seems 

 worthy of more attention ; the committing magistrate 

 might always announce it to persons sentenced to im- 

 prisonment. i\gain, they say, that owing to the nature 

 of the evidence required by our iVdaulut or courts of jus- 

 tice, it is next to an impossibility to convict a robber of 

 crime. They are told, that it is necessary to sei?.e the 

 man in the act, or with the stolen property in his pos- 

 session ; but how seldom this can be effected. They 

 are anxious that collateral proof should be more attend- 

 ed to, and add, that if they have recourse to violent 

 measures in protecting their property, or in securing the 

 plunderers, they are liable to unmerited censure. They 

 also complain much of being frequently and unnecessari- 

 ly summoned to attend the Adaulut from their families 

 and homes, as witnesses, and that they are detained for 

 a long time on such occasions, and that the expense and 

 inconvenience they are put to is often ruinous. 



