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361 
Chapter VII. 
EXCLUSION FROM PROPERTY AND INHERITANCE. 
Traitors, and rebels are not allowed to inherit property, and they 
are ejected from what they possess, their estates are forfeited to the 
King - , and their families are reduced to slavery. 
ARBITRATION. 
Many of the cases which are of daily occurence, and which respect 
members of the same family, are submitted to the arbitration of the 
Elders of a village, or a competent number of persons chosen by the 
parties concerned, as is the custom in some parts of India. 
OBSEQUIES AND SUPERSTITIONS. 
The practice of adoption is prevalent over the Indo Chinese countries. 
It is not imperative on a Siamese, as it is on a Hindu, to adopt 
a son in default of issue lawfully begotten, since the nonperformance 
of funeral rites does not expose Ills soul, after his death, to those tor¬ 
ments which a Hindoo deems the sure consequence of a neglect of them. 
But a tincture of Hinduism is discoverable in the ordinances res¬ 
pecting inheritance, where a wilful neglect to perform obsequies does, 
in most instances, render claims on property invalid. But as the 
obsequies of a Siamese may be performed, and without endangering 
his future bliss, by any person, he feels little anxiety for an heir 
on that head, however he may from more natural motives wish for 
one. Hence, like the Hindoo, he has his ceremonies betwixt the pe¬ 
riod of conception and birth &e. 
The first symptoms of pregnancy appearing, charms and incanta¬ 
tions are resorted to in order to ovearwe the PJtee paitp and PJiee 
pjirai , which are believed to be spirits which torment incipient beings, 
and distress thereby the woman. 
They have also very gross superstitions regarding women who die 
in child bed. To prevent their spirits haunting the relatives, various 
incantations are rehearsed, and certain spells are tied around their 
arms and necks. They believe that magicians dig up the bodies of 
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