NOTICES OF THE NORTHERN OR DUTCH HALF OF CELEBES. 
being mostly natives, of the caste of Bobatus, A few of them are 
Arabs and Bugis, who live here for the sake of trade, and are at the 
same time priests and merchants. (Vide the new Dutch periodical, 
Tijdschrift ter bevordering van christelijkeil zin in N'Cerlands-In¬ 
die, printed at Batavia.) 
Division of the population in to castes. —-This is uniform in all dis¬ 
tricts. It was probably introduced from Ternate and is strongly ad¬ 
hered to, having been established for centuries. Three classes are 
chiefly to be distinguished, 1st. Bobatus, or patricians, 2nd. Balia , 
the middle class and peasantry, 3rd. budak, slaves. The latter 
class comprises, a, Mangofuli , i. e. the slaves of the community, 
who are almost free and of the same rank as No. 2, and b, the slaves 
of individuals. 
All higher offices and posts of honor are monopolised by the Bo- 
batu, viz., a, raja, chosen from the oldest families; b , Juhugu , 
counsellors or ministers—in Gurontala and Limbotte three, in the 
smaller states two ; c, Capitan laut, or Admiral; d, Walopulu or 
chiefs of larger negris or communities; e, Marsaoli, these, although 
the filth in rank, have the greatest influence, being the chiefs of vil¬ 
lages, and in this capacity at the same time representatives or tri¬ 
bunes of the people. They are chosen exclusively by the balla and 
the mangofuli, or by their joint deputies, the Kimelaha.* The 
Marsaoli have thus become in some way the lawgiving body, while 
the raja has the executive. In former times the Marsaoli had the 
right to appoint and to dethrone the raja, and even to try him for 
life, if he outraged the law. Their persons are in a certain measure 
sacred ; only the Kimelahas have the power to deprive them of their 
office *, the Raja not being allowed to meddle with it. In Guronta- 
lo is besides another post of honour with the title of major, which 
was formerly also an exclusive privilege of the Bobatu, but is now 
occupied by a Balia. 
With the Balia rests all the burthen of taxes, tribute etc. Their 
deputies are the Kimelaha kiri, who chose the Marsoali and consti¬ 
tute his council. Amongst this class are ranked besides the Kapa- 
la soldado , i. e. the children of the Bobatu by slave-women ; but in 
case of deficiency of legitimate children they may be adopted by 
their father, and they then enter into all the rights of Bobatus. 
* The Kimelaha are distinguished as Kimelaha kiri and Kimelaha ka- 
nan, the former are the deputies of the Balla, the latter those of the Man¬ 
gofuli. 
