S 0 M A T k A, 
tUl the provifion is es^nded j one or more buffaloeSj or horfes, being 
killed aod feafted on at the fame tinie. The prieft then, (whofe linibs 
tattled in the lhape of Hrds and beafts, and painted of difFcrcVit 
colors)* takes a piece of buffaloe*5 fiefli ; fwmg9 it about, throwing 
himfelf into violent attitudes^ and ftrange concoriions ; and theri cats the 
morfel in a voracious manner. He afterwards kills a fowl over the dead 
body, letting the blood run upon the coffin ; he then takes a broom, of 
the coco-nut fibres, and fweeps furiouflj/ about him, as if to chace away 
fonie evil fpirit; when fuddenly, fourmen, appointed for the purpofe, 
life up the coffin, and run quickly off with it, as if efcaping from the 
fiend ; the prieft continuing to fweep after it for fome diftance. It is 
then put into the ground, at the depth of three or four feet ; the earth 
about the grave is raited ; a ihed built over it ; and the horns of the 
buffaloes killed upon the occaiion are nailed to the pofls,-f The people 
then depart in peace to their refpe<£tive homes. 
This nation has prefer vcd the original gcnuinenefs of its charadler and originalitjr 
manners, more unmixed than any other inhabitants, at leaft of the nor- pfffe^T^ed m 
^ this natioiu 
them parts of the Ularvd. Thit. may be owing to fevcral caufes h as their 
diftancein general from the fea coaft, and total unacquaintance with na- <;tufe* of thii 
vigation ; and to the want of gold in their country (except at the fouthcrn 
extremity) to excite the rapacity of invaders, or avarice of coloniOf ; 
the vegetable riches of the foil being no objed: for fuch, as they are 
more advantageoufly obtained in trade, from the unmolefted labors of 
the natives themfelves. To this we may add, the divided nature of the 
government, and confined independence of the petty chiefs, which is un- 
• Is the Najhtt iftatids (called by the Malays the Poggfis} the inhabttanta (6rang Manta'wajt) 
ife univcrfally tattowcd In this manner, and their ikin difcfjlored. This cuflom apjiiars to have 
been once very general in this part of the ealt, but an intercouHc with othfir nations caufes it 
to wear awiy. Befide the pintados of the Philippines} it prevails among the p*opk of Lmsy and 
has been obfcrved of the Siamife* Set an Hiftorical Relation of Expediuons to thoft iftanda by 
.Alexander Dalrymple, Efq. 
t Mr. Miller fays he was prefcnt at killing the hundred and fixth buffaloe, at the gtare^of a 
raja, which ceremony they continue for a year after the interment. 
4 K favorable 
