JUDICIAL USAGES. 
381 
the inhabitants, and burned the former town of the same 
name. From being the oppressed, the Filani have 
become the oppressors of all the surrounding nations, 
having carried their depredations as far as the confluence, 
and threatened the Great King himself — the SMiki- 
babkn, or Attkh of Iddah — to whom the chiefs of 
Fandah, Kattam-Karafi and Buddu acknowledge alle- 
giance, by paying him a small tribute. 
We are not sufficiently acquainted with the institu- 
tions, to be able to say positively what is the degree 
of power possessed by the chiefs. They all declared it 
to be despotic ; but wc had some reason to believe that 
it is held in very wholesome check by councils of the 
elders, and the government seems to be mild. The 
Mahomedans take, of course, the Koran for their guide. 
Among the Pagans, we may surmise that established 
usages have the place of written laws. We saw on 
a former occasion justice administered by the King 
at the gate of his palace, in open court at Fendah ; and 
all belonging to the late Expedition will remember 
the dignified deportment of Lobo, the chief judge 
of Iddah. There are some observances relative to pre- 
rogative, which are strictly enforced ; such as the 
privilege claimed by the great chiefs of preemption 
in trade, the exclusive use of certain articles — as dresses 
of a particular colour, umbrellas, &c. If any inferior 
chief, or private person, should presume to make use of 
these appurtenances to royalty, he would be severely 
fined, and in default of payment, sold as a slave. The 
late Attah of Iddah appeared to have been the most 
