3o6 
S U M A T R A. 
The fplrit of war is excked among thcfe people by fmaU provocation, 
and their refolutions for carrying it into efFed: are foon taken. Their 
life appears, in fad:, to be a perpetual flare of boflilitfj and they arc 
elways prepared for attack and defence. When they proceed to put 
their defigns into execution, the firft a£t of defiance is firing, without 
ball J into the campong of their enemies. Three days are then allowed 
for fh(^ party fired upon, to propofe terms of accommodation, and if 
this is not done, or the terms are fuch as cannot be agreed to, war is 
then fully declared. This ceremony of firing with powder only, is 
ftylcd, carrying fnioke to the adverfary,*' During the courfe of their 
wars, which fometimes laft for two or three years, they feldom meet 
openly in the field, or attempt to decide their conteft by a general en- 
gagement; as the mutual lofs of a dozen men might go near to ruin 
bo!h parties ; nor do they often venture a dired attack upon each others 
campongs; but watch opportunities of picking off ftragglers pa0rng 
through the woods. A party of three or four will conceal themfelves 
near the footways, and if they fee any of their foes, they fire, and run 
away immediately ; planting ra?ijm)s fiharp ftakcs) aft-pr them, to pre- 
vent purfuit. On thefc occafions a man will fubfift upon apotatoe a day, 
in which they have much the advantage of the Malays^ (againft whom 
they are often engaged in warfare) who require to be better fed. 
They fortify their campongs with large ramparts of earth, half way 
Up which they plant brufh wood. There is a ditch without the rampart, 
and on each fide of that, a tall palifade of camphire timber. Beyond 
this, is an impenetrable hedge of the prickly bamboo^ which, when of 
fufHcient growth, acquires a furprizing dcnfity, and perfc<ftly conceals 
all appearance of a town* Ranjows^ pf a length both for the body^ and 
the feet, are difpofed without all thefe, and render the approaches hazard- 
ous to aiTallants who are almofl naked. At each corner of the fortrefs, 
inftead of a tower or watch -houfe, they contrive to have a tall tree, which 
they afcend to reconnoitre or fire from. But they are not fond of re- 
maining on the defenfive in their campongs, and therefore, leaving a 
few to guard them, ufually advance into the plains^ and throw up tem- 
porary 
