336 REPORT ON TIIE ISLAND OF BANKA. 
Their domestic habits are very simple: the marriages, which are 
always contracted with the advice of the Batin are rarely prolific. 
In my enquiries concerning* the population of the island I had fre¬ 
quent occasion to notice their slow increase. The number of chil¬ 
dren in a family rarely exceeds three, in many families there is but 
one child, and many marriages have no offspring. The domestic 
arts of spinning, weaving &e., are not known among them, and they 
depend for clothing on the neighbouring countries. In several dis¬ 
tricts the inhabitants, particularly the females, manufacture mats of 
various qualities ; in which they display considerable patience and 
ingenuity. If we except one or two instances of persons who have 
visited other countries, they acquire neither reading nor writing. 
• These people, who to a rude simplicity partaking of stupidity, 
unite much sincerity of disposition which interests the stranger in 
their behalf, have suffered more than the other inhabitants from the 
calamities of the island. 
Of an extensive population nine-tenths have been destroyed or dis¬ 
persed through other countries by the causes above enumerated, and 
it has often been to the writer a very agreeable reflection, that the 
change of the government of Bankd has again afforded them secu¬ 
rity and protection. 
Thomas IIorsfield, 
Library, East India House, 
August 5th. 1847. 
