Jl W M A r R A. 
hands, never Ml to emj a fnppfy about them at all ieafens, to fruilmtc 
sttempts ©f apprehending them for their crimes. 
The people of Menang€ah<m ar« fa id to go frequently to war, on Horfci. 
torfebacfc, but I Ihall not venture to give their force the name of ca- 
valry, as 1 doubt much it's coming, in aiiy degree, within that defcrip- 
tlon. The chiefs probably may avail themfelves of the fervice of this 
tifeful animal, from motives of indolence or ftate;^ or poflibU> in 
marches, for the feke of expcditioni they may employ horfes for the 
troops.; as they are in great plenty in tha.t country. The natives, any 
more than the Europeans, never Ihoe them.; nor is it necefiary where 
there are no hard roads* The breed is fmall, but well made, fpirited, 
and vigorous. Their wars, in general, are carried on rather in the way Mode of car- 
of ambufcade, and furprize of ftraggling parties, than open combat. 'T^^^s ^'^ 
When the latter does take place, they are careful to make it a long 
fiiot ; and the firing is quite irregular. The foldiers have no pay, but 
the plunder is thrown into a common fund, and divided. Whatever 
might formerly have been the degree of their prowefs, they are not now 
. much celebrated for it; yet the Dutch, at Padang^ have often fcund 
them trouble fbmc^ from tjjelr »umbei-B, anrl lieen obUgted to fecure thcn> 
felves within their waJJs, which the others have befieged. Between the 
Menangcahw people, thofe of Rou (called in the old writings ^u)^ 
and the jkhenefe, war^ ufed to be perpetuai ; till within thefe twenty 
years, that our authority has been eftabUfhed at the fettle m en t of Nalal, 
and ferves as a check to them» It was impoIEble to walk a few miles 
into the country, without meeting the remains of fcveral brealt works, 
fcocl-oor}^^ thrown up for defence, and fome of them very fubftantiaU 
Our fa(5tory there, was firH raifed upon one of thefe country fortifications- 
They carried on their campaigns very deliberately j making a pra6:ice of 
commencing a truce at funfct, when they were no longer under appre- 
henfion from each other. They fometimes agreed that hoflilities ihould 
take place, only between fuch and fuch hours of the day. The Engiiih 
tefident, Mr. Carter, ufed frequently to be chofen their umpire, and 
upon thefe occalions, fixed in the ground his golden headed cane, on 
* A forliScd village the Mai ay i call which is ufed in the fame fenfe throughout litdojian. 
4 B the 
