254 SUMATRA. 
dent to the introduction of the faith of the Cciiiphs, among the eaflem 
people, this word might have found its way, and been naturalized 
in the iilands; or perhaps its progrefs was in a contrary direction. 
It has likewife a connexion in founds with the names ufed to exprefs a 
deity, or fome degree of fupcriof being, by many other people of this 
region of the earth. The Battas % inhabitants of the northern end of 
Sumatra, whom I ihall defcribe hereafter ; ufe the word ** daibattah*' 
or daivaitabf the ChingaUfe, of Ceylon, dewijoQi the BiadJ&as of 
Borneo, dmaitah ; the Papcoas of New Oavnea, 'wt j and the Fam- 
pangos, of the Philippines, dimta. It bears like wife an affinity (dotibt- 
lefs accidental) to the Dem of the Romans. 
VencTation fof The fupctftition which has the ftrongeft influence on the minds of the 
ImTibs^rtkir Sumatrans, and which approaches the neareft to a fpecies of religion, 
aiiMte, jhat which leads them to venerate, almoft to the point of worfhipping, 
the tombs and mams of their deceafed anceftors ( mmay pooyang)* Thefe 
they are attached to as ilrongly as to life itfelf, and to oblige them to 
remove from the neighbourhood of their trammat ( cmetims)^ is like 
tearing up a tree by the roots. Thefe, the more genuine country people 
regard chiefly, when they take a folemn oath, and to thefe they apoftro- 
phize in inftances of fudden calamity. Had they the art of making 
images, or other reprefentations of them, they would be perfedt larei^ 
pena/eSy or houfehold gods. It has been aflerted to me, that in very 
ancient times, the Sumatrans made a practice of burning the bodies of 
their dead, but I could never find any traces of the cuftom, or any cir- 
cumftances that corroborated it, 
Mnempfj They have an imperfect notion of a Metempfychofls, but not in any 
rboi;*. degree fyftematic, and I doubt its having any original connexion with 
the dodrines of the Hindoos. Popular ftories will of en prevail, and be 
generally received, of fuch a particular man being changed into a tiger, 
or other beafl:. They think indeed that tigers in genera! are a^uated 
with the fpirits of departed men, and no coniideration will prevail on a 
countryman, to catch or to wound one, but in felf defence, or invmedl- 
ately 
