1832.] 
ISLAND OF SUMATRA, 
169 
his brother was to marry her with or without children — so 
among the Rejangs and Malays, a brother or near relation 
marries the widow, and assumes all the legal responsibilities of 
the deceased. 
There is another mode of marriage practised, though growing 
out of use in late years, called ambelana ; by which a young man, 
by marrying into a family, becomes, in fact, the property of his 
wife's parents, and occupies a place between that of a son and a 
debtor. He partakes in the use of all the property of the family, 
but has no right or title in it. His plantation, his pepper gardens, 
are all the property of his newly-made parents, who in turn be- 
come responsible for him and all the debts he may contract ; hold- 
ing" also a power of divorcing him at will, and of sending him back, 
poor and naked, to his family, or as an outlaw upon, the community. 
The mode of marriage, however, most common, is the semundo, 
introduced by the Malays, which is much more simple and just, 
as the parties meet and treat with each other on the principle of 
equality. All the effects, gains, and earnings become joint 
property; and should a divorce take place at any subsequent 
period by the mutual consent of the parties, the property shall, in 
all such cases, be equally divided between them. By the influ- 
ence and authority of the Rejang chiefs and Malay padres, this 
custom by semundo has become very generally adopted. 
But by whatever mode the nuptial ceremonies are consummated, 
joy and hilarity, dances, feasting, and song, are the usual attend- 
ants ; nor do these amusements cease for several days, unless the 
whole supplies prepared for the occasion are exhausted. The 
young women, gaddees, or goddesses, are dressed in their finest 
attire, and not only mingle with sprightliness in the dance, but 
sing in low, sweet, and plaintive airs the outpourings of their 
hearts, in the soft suffusions of their loves; which, as a point of 
the utmost gallantry and fashion, is responded to by the boojongs, 
or young men, who gain credit in proportion to their adroitness in 
this indispensable accomplishment. 
Among the amusements of the men, there is nothing of which 
they are so fond as of cock-fighting. This is a vice common to 
the whole island ; it is, indeed, their master passion. Their bets 
often run high, staking all they are worth ; and instances have 
occurred of a father staking his children, his wife, or a sister, on 
