SUMATRA. 241 
emaciated ; but they are In other refpedls abandoned and debauched. 
The Leemt^on and Batang Jffy gold traders, on the contrary, who are an 
adlive, laborious* people, but yet indulge as freely m opiutn as any 
others whatever, are, not with (landing, the moft healthy and vigorous 
people to be met with on the iiland. It has been ufual alfo to attribute 
to the pradice, dtftniifltve confequences of another nature ; from the 
frenzy it has been fuppofed to excite in thofe who take it in quantities. 
But this Ihould probably rank with the many errors that mankind have 
been led into, by travellers addicted to the marvellous ; and there is every 
reafon to believe, that the furious quarrels, defperate afiaHinations, and 
fanguinary attacks, which the ufe of opium is faid to give birth to, are 
idle notions, originally adopted through ignorance, and fince main- 
tained, from the mere want of inveftigation, without having any folid 
foundation. That thofe defperate afe of indifcriminate murder, called 
by us, mucks y and by the natives, moffgams^ do adtiaUy take place, and 
in fome parts of the eaft, frequently, (on Java in particular) is not to 
be controverted; but it is not equally evident that they proceed from any 
intoxication, except that of their unruly paflions. Too often they are 
occafioned by excefs of cruelty and injuftice in their oppreffors. On the 
Well coaft of Sumatra about twenty thoufand pounds weight of this 
drug, are confumed annually, yet inftances of this crime do not happen, 
(at leafl: within the fcopc of our knowledge) above once in two or three 
years. During my refidence there I had an opportunity of being an eye 
wltnefs but to one mmk. The Have of a Portuguezc woman, a man of 
the ifland of Neas, who in all probability had never handled an opium 
pipe in his life, being treated by his miftrefs with extreme fever ity, for 
a trifling offence, vowed he would have revenge, if Ihe attempted to 
ftrike him again ; and ran down the fteps of the houfe, with a knife in 
each hand, as it was faid. She cried out, mongamo I The civil guard 
was called, who having the power, in thefe cafes, of excrclfing fum- 
mary juftice, fired half a dozen rounds, into an outhoufe, where the 
unfortunate wretch had iheltered himfelf, on their approach ; and from 
whence he was at length dragged, covered with wounds. Many other 
mM;ks 
