SUMATRA; 
211 
.it was Bring for a falute, and was killed by the explofion ; upon which 
his relations immediately fued the ferjeant of the country guard, who 
applied the match, for the recovery of the bangoon ; but they were calt, 
and upon thefe grounds; that the dupatty was inftrumental in his own 
death ; and that the Company's fervants being amenable to other laws 
for their cTim.es, were iiot^ by eftabllfhed cuftom, . fubjetft to the ban- 
goon, or orher penalties Lnflidtcd by the native chiefs, for accidents re- 
fuLriDg from the execution of their dut)-. The ttppon;^ Immeey expiation, . 
or purification of the earth from the ^tom it li^» received, was however 
gratuitoully paid. No plea was fet up,, that the adion was unpremedi- 
tated^ and the event chance medley. 
The amount of the hangcany tn the countries fouthward of Rgang^ is 
fixt at eighty eight dollars and eight fanams; and the iippciig laomecf 
called there kafwg hera^ is twenty eight dollars i. be fide finding a baifa- 
Ipe and rice* There j5 alfo the palanian or keto^ of fourteen dollars, 
paid both by the profecutor and profectited, where there have been kil- 
led or WOUndecl Ua buih AUcsi; buc 4^ ^-jnat» kiUflK«notK«r uiko-^iakioe no 
-lefiftance, the whole $alafiimij or twenty-eight dollars, is paid by the 
murderer*. 
The LntroduAion of this cuftom is beyond the extent of Sumatran ■ 
traditton, and has no connexion with, or dcpeodance on Mahometanifm, 
being eilabljfbed amongll the mofl inland people from time immemQriaJ. 
In early ages it was by no means cotifined to that part of the world. The 
^aj^004 is perfed:ly the fame as rhe compenfation for murder,. in the rude 
inftitutions of our Saxon anceftors, and other northern nations* It is 
the eric of Ireland, and the apcnat of the Greeks* In the compartments 
of the ihield of Achilles, Homer defcrlbes the adjudgement of a fine 
for homicide. It would feem then to be a natural ftep in the advances 
from anarchy to fettled government, , and can only take place. in fuch fo- 
cietics as have already a ftrongideaof the value of pcrfonal property,, 
-iteming it*s poiTeflion of the ij^xt importance to that of life, and pla- 
H h h cing 
