.SUMATRA, 
himfelf and his companions with a large ihield, A compact body, thus 
armed, would have been a counter part of the Macedonian phalanx; 
but can prove, 1 Ihould apprehend, of but Ikth uk among a people, 
wkh whom war- is carried on in a defultory manner, and more iii the way 
of ambufcacie, than of general engagement, in vv§iich alone troops fo 
armed could ad: with effefl:. 
Mnland of Samdnka^ in the Straits of Bmda^ there is. a di^llridt, fay the 
Lampoons J inhabited by a fcrocioi^$ pqoplcj wli,o.are|a^twor to the neigh- 
bouring country. Their mode of attoning for offences agalnft their own 
eommunityj is by brl nging ^ to, the! r dopfoon th c.head s of ftra ngers. The 
account ntay be true, -but without, furtfier. auth^ti<;atjpn5. fuch ftories are 
not to be too implicitly credited, on the faith of a ^p^epple who arc fond 
of the marvelJous, and addicted to exaggeration.* 
The manners of .IhQ. Lm^ooks' are tn6re ' free,"' lither licentious, 
tjian thofc of any otlier native Sumatrans, 'An extraordinary Kberty of 
. intercoqrfe is aTloWed be^iveen t;He young people of different fcxes, and 
the lofs of fcmale chail;it|>''V ',is not a Very uncornmon confequence. The 
offence is there ^ however, jth ought more lightly of, and inftead of pu- 
ciihlng ftbe parties, aV in and, elfe where, they prudently en- 
deavor -to conclude a legal match between them. But if this is not ef- 
fected, the lady ilill continues to wear the inftgnia of virginity, the fillet 
aiki armrings, and takes her, place as fuch, at fellivals. It is not only 
on Ehefp public occafipns, that the young ^men and women have .oppor- 
,jtuii*ities of forming arrangements," as' in rnofl other parts of the jfknd. 
They frequently aflbci«te together at other times ; and the former are 
feen gallantly reclining in the maidcn*s lap, whifpering foft nonfenfe, 
whilft ihc adjufts and perfumes his hair, or does a friendly office, of lefs 
delicacy to an European appk-henfion. At bimbangs, the worocn often 
put on their dancing tlrefs, in the p\iblic hall, letting that garment 
# Xill within a few years the Lampoon pcdptt believed' the ifttiabltant^ of the liland E»gm9t 
' to' be al! femxles, who were imprtgnated hj the ftind i like the mares in. Vujgil's gcor^c's, Thej 
, ttyled aiem, in the MaUy kiiguagc, ilgtf » 
' * " ♦ which 
