A NANING RECITAL. 
25 
of the murderer but the transfer of the slayer’s blood-relation 
to the tribe of the slain. The murderer cannot make the sub- 
stitution in person — his tribe must make good the damage 
inflicted. Hence his son — who (under the exogamic custom) 
cannot be a member of bis father’s tribe — is exempt, and his 
nephew suffers vicariously 
On the Adat Perpateh principles of compensation and 
restitution see Eembau passim, and Papers on Malay Subjects, 
Law, Introductory Sketch. 
22. Lines 228-231. These lines are a moral for judges — let in- 
quiry be cautious and thorough. The metaphor is of a wrig- 
gling lizard ( biawak bengkong) , climbing slowly from the base 
to the top of a tree — a type for the cautious seeker after truth, 
not ashamed to retrace his steps when the line of inquiry has 
proved wrong. 
See Malay Proverbs, 73, Journal No. 67. 
23. Line 2^0. Bertempek is probably a phonetic form of bertepat. 
and has been translated accordingly. 
24. Lines 250-25 If. The influence of Johor over the Menang- 
kabau colonies of the Negri Sembilan probably dates from 
their foundation ; it became weak after the installation of Eaja 
Melewar as the first Sovereign of Negri Sembilan in 1773, and 
(in spite of some attempts by the late Sultan Abubakar to 
revive it) is now extinct. 
The references to Johor and Siak have been usually ex- 
plained (Eembau, page 101 ; Sri Menanti, pages 12 and 13) in 
relation to the appointment of the first Yam Tuan (Eaja 
Melewar) in 177*3 ; but the expression ' Jolior our Raja ’ seems 
inconsistent with this explanation. 
Mr. Wilkinson refers the lines 
Malacca our landing-place , 
Naning our mother 
to the same historical event. It is much more probable that 
the lines were in existence before that date and refer to the 
founding of the Negri Sembilan colonies in the loth and 16th 
centuries. 
25. Lines 25S-261. These are the hereditary titles of the Chiefs 
( Undang ) of Sungai Ujong, Johol, Eembau, and Jelebu. 
26. Lines 262-261f. The pavilions erected at Sri Menanti for the 
four Undang (of Sungai Ujong, Johol, Jelebu, and Eembau), 
when they come there for the installation of a Yam Tuan or 
for a periodical audience, are each of special design and posi- 
tion. See Journal No. 19, page 50; Negri Sembilan Govern- 
ment Gazette, August 1898 ; and Sri Menanti, section XII. 
The Sungai Ujong pavilion is built at right angles (me- 
lintang) to the pavilion of audience ( balai pengadapan) . The 
R. A. Soc., No. 83, 1921. 
