SUMATRA. 225 
13 called ho&aMg fooray. They mufl banifh him from homcj and 
if they receive him again, or aflift him with the fmalleil fuin, they 
are liable to all his debts* On the prodigal fon*s return, and promi- 
fes of amendment, this writ may be redeemed, on payment of five dollars 
to the proatteens, and fatisfying the creditors* The writ of outlawry is 
infcribed on a piece of bamboo J This kind of marriage is productive 
of much confufion, for till the time it takes place, the young man belongs 
to one doofooD and family, and afterwards to anodier, and as they have 
no records to refer to, there is great uncertainty in fcttling the time 
when debts were contracfted, and the like. Somethnes the redemption 
of the family, and their return to the former doofoon, take place in the 
lecond or third generation ; and ia many cafes it is doubtful whether they 
ever took place or not ; the two parties contradi^ing each other, and 
perhaps no evidence to refer to. Hence arlfe various and intricate 
Befide the modes of marriage above defcribed,- a third form, cah j'^y'''^J5k^^o 
led Seffiundoy has been adopted from the Malays, and thence termed «i:iniase. 
femundo Malay 0^ or mare j'eeA& (ficc>. This marriage U a r^gnlar treaty 
between the parties, on the foot of equalify,i The diidai paid the girls 
friends, has ufually been twelve dollars* The agreement ftipulates, that 
all effcds, gains, or earnings, are to be equally the property of both, 
and in cafe of divorce by mutual confcnt, the ftock, debts, and credits 
are to be equally divided. If the man only, infiUs on the divorce, he 
gives the woman her half of the cUcds, and lofes the twelve dollars he 
has paid. If the woman only, claims the divorce, fhe forfeits her right 
to the proportion of the effe6:s, but is entitled to keep her teecar, hfital, 
and diw^un (parapHarnalia), and Her relations are liable to pay back the 
twelve dollars ; but it is feldom dem.mdcd, j This mode, doubtlcfs 
moft conformable to our ideas of conjugal right and felicity, is that 
which -the chiefs of the Rejang country have formally confented to efta* 
bliib throughout their jurifdidion, and to their orders^ the influence of 
the Malay padres will contribute to give efficacy* 
It will apt be improper here ta mark the cuEoms of the people oB. ^ „ 
' i 1 A J. Cuftoms rela 
Bqffimmahf in regard to their marriage contrads, which though pervaded tive to mirri 
entirely mah. 
