£40 
ORIGIN' OF TI1K BINUAS. 
a free conscience ; and that, when we are supposing the Malays al¬ 
ready established there, and consequently having all power to make 
of them faithful disciples to their beloved prophet. 
It is also stated by the Binuas, and admitted by the Malays, that 
before the Malay Peninsula had the name of Malacca, it was inha¬ 
bited by the Binuas. In course of time, the early Arab trading 
vessels brought over priests from Arabia, who made a number of 
converts to Islam t those of the Binuas that declined to abjure the 
customs of their forefathers, in consequence of the persecutions to 
which they were exposed, fled to the fastnesses of the interior, where 
they have since continued in a savage state. 
I am therefore inclined to be of the opinion which Lieut. New- 
bold appears to embrace, and I am induced the more readily to be¬ 
lieve that the Binuas, and chiefly the Battas* of Sumatra and the Se- 
mangs of the north of the Peninsula are the savage people whom 
Herodotus has spoken of, as inhabitants of the eastern countries of 
India producing gold; and I dare say with the same author, that it 
is scarcely possible that the father of history intended to speak of 
any other Indian people ; for he would have spoken of such clearly 
and fluently ; since all the other parts of India to the Archipelago were 
very well known to that historian, whilst he on the contrary speaks 
of the tribes he describes, only in rather an obscure style, and as 
“ having received an account of them from some adventurous traders 
who having sailed from the shores of the Red Sea or the banks of 
the Euphrates, coasting the shore of India to the Archipelago: and 
who returned to their native lands laden with the gold dust, ivory 
and spices of the east. The Malayan Peninsula, the Golden-eher- 
sonese of Ptolomy, and Sumatra so rich in gold, camphor, pepper 
and ivory, would be the first countries producing these tempting ar¬ 
ticles of commerce that fell in their way and the existence of people 
in whose country they were to be found, could not remain long a 
secret to such inquisitive navigators.” 
Besides, the account given by Herodotus of the savages he des¬ 
cribes, seems to agree with the name and customs of some of the 
wild tribes who are now the subject of our consideration. He says 
