S U M A T R A. 
Laws and cufims — Mode of deciding Caufes^Code DiwH 
Lawt or cuf* 1 HERE is no word in the langiiages of the ifland which properly 
and ftriftly fignifics Law ; nor is there any perfon or dafs of gerfons, 
among the RejangSy regularly invcfted with zkgijlative power. j^TEey 
are governed in their various difputes, by a fet of long eilabliihed cuf- 
toms (addat), handed down to them fronri their anceftors, the authority of 
which is founded on ufage and general confcnt. The chiefs, in pro- 
Douncing their decifions, are not heard to fay, " fo the law directs" but, 
fuch is the cuftom.*' It is true, that if any cafe arifes, for which there 
is no precedent on record (of memory), they deliberate and agree on 
fome mode, that ihall ferve as a rule in future fimilar circumftances. 
If the affair be trifiing, this is feldom objected to, but when it is a mat- 
ter of confequence, the pangeran, or calippah, confults with the proat- 
teens, or lower order of chiefs, who frequenriy defire time to coniider of 
it, and confult with the inhabitants of their doofooiij When the point 
IS thus determined, the people voluntarily fubmit to obferve it as an ef- 
tablifiied cuHom ; but they do not acknowledge a right in the chiefs, to 
conftitute what laws they think proper, or to repeal or alter their an- 
cientufages, which they are extremely tenacious and jealous of. It is 
notwitbftanding true, that by the influence of the Europeans, they have 
at times been prevailed on, to fubmit to innovations in their addat ; but, 
except when they perceived a manifeft advantage from the change, they 
have generally feized an opportunity of reverting to the old mode. 
Mode of ac- caufes, both civil and criminal, are determined by the feveral 
dding caufes. chiefs of the diftri^t, affemblcti together, at flated times, for the purpofe 
of diftributing juftice, Thefe meetings are called bccharro (which (ig- 
nifies air© to difcourfeor debate), and among us^ by an eafy corruption, 
bechars^ Their manner of fettling their litigations, in points of property, 
h rather a fpccies of arbitration, each party previoufly binding himfelf 
to 
