SUMATRA. 
229 
ticular admirers. The men, when determined in their rcgards> generally 
employ an old woman as their agent, by whom they make known their 
fentiments, and fend prefcnts to the female of their choice. The parents 
then interfere, and the preliminaries being fettled, a bimbang takes 
place. At thtfe feftivals, a goat, a buffaloe, or feveral, according to the MirmgefefU* 
rank of the parties, are killed, for to entertain, not only the relations and 
invited guefls, but all the inhabitants of the neighbouring country who 
chufe to repair to them. The greater the concourfe, the more is the 
credit of the hoR, who h generally, on thefe occafions, the father of the 
girl ; but the d liferent branches of the family, and frequently all the 
people of thedoofoon, contribute a quota of rice. 
The young women proceed in a body to the upper end of the balH, otrftn 
%vhere there is a part divided off for them, by a curtain. The floor is 
fpread with their beft mats, and the fides and ceiling of that extremity 
of the building, are hung with pieces of chihtz> palampores, and the 
like. They do not always make their appearance before dinner ; that 
time, with part of the afternoon* previous to a fecond or third mea!^ 
being appropriated to cock-fighting, and other diverfions peculiar to the 
men. Whvlft the young, are thus employed, the old men confult to- 
gether upon any affair that may be at the lime in agitation ; fuch as re- 
pairing a public building, or making reprifals upon the cattle of a neigh- 
bouring people* The bini bangs ar^ often given on occafions of bufinefs 
only, and as they are apt to be produdive of cabals, the Europeans re- 
quire that they fhall not be held without their knowledjge and approba- - 
tion- To give authority to their contrads and other deeds, whether of 
a public or private nature, they always make a bimbang. Writings, fay 
they, may be altered or counterfeited, but the memory of what is 
tranfa£ted and concluded in the prefence of a thou (and witnefles, muft 
remain facrcd. Sometimes in token of the final determination of an af- 
fair, they cut a^notch in apoft, before the chiefs ; which they call tOr 
In the evening, iheir fofter amufemcnts take place; of which the . , 
dances are the prmapaL Thefe are performed either fingly, or by two of daadu^. 
women. 
