P R E F A C E, vil 
I was prlaclpally eiicoiiraged to this undertaklug by the pro- 
mifes of affiftaiice I received from fome ingenious, and very 
highly efteemed friends, who refided with me on Sumatra, It 
has alfo been urged to me here in England, that as the fubje£t is 
altogether new, it is a duty incumbent on me, to lay the infor- 
mation I am in poffeflion of, however defedive, before the public, 
who will not object to it's being circumfcribed, whilft it's authen- 
ticity remains unimpeachable. This laft quality is that which I 
can with the mofl: confidence take upon me to vouch for. The 
greateft portion of what I have defcrihed, has fallen witliin the 
fcope of my own immediate obfervaclon ; tlie remainaer is either 
matter of common notoriety to every perfon refiding on the ifland, 
or received upon the concurring authority of gentlemen, whofe 
fituation in the Eaft India Company's fervice ; long acquaintance 
with the natives ; extenfive knowledge of their language, ideas, 
and manners ; and refpeftability of charader, render them wor- 
thy of the moft implicit faith that can be given to human tefti- 
mony* 
I have been the more fcrupuloufly exad in this particular, be- 
caufe my view was not, ultimately, to write an entertaining book» 
to which the marvellous might be thought not a little to contri- 
bute, but fincerely and confcientioufly to add the fmall portion in 
my power* to the genera! knowledge of the age ; to throw fome 
glimmering light on the path of the naturalift; and more elpe- 
cially to furniih thofe philofophersj whofe labors have been di- 
reded to the inveftigation of the hiftory of Man, with fads to 
ferve 
