744 THE HISTORY AMD PRESENT CONDITION OF MALACCA. 
at the time the majority of the land was so redeemed. You may 
settle on the land if you like, but the so called proprietor will have 
the right of levying ten per cent on your produce.” “ What land 
is this ?” This is what is called redeemed land, that is, the go¬ 
vernment and not a private individual, has here the right of levying 
ten per cent upon your produce. ” “ And this land ? ”—“ This 
is occupied already, there being several people who have signed 
commutation deeds to pay so much per annum for it. ” <e But 
the ground is uncleared, how can they afford to pay such sums ? ” 
tc Why the truth is, they have never been called upon to pay since 
they signed the papers, and probably when called upon to do so 
they will give them up to be cancelled, but till then, they must 
be looked upon as the proprietors. ” It is to be feared the 
stranger might get somewhat alarmed at these apparent varieties of 
landed tenures, though in reality he would have no ground for such 
alarm. The unredeemed lands are too small in extent (not pro¬ 
bably our twentieth of the whole) and already so far occupied as to 
preclude their being selected for any extensive cultivation, and with 
regard to other lands a simple arrangement would clear away all 
difficulties. If the locality selected be uncleared and unclaimed land, 
it is then to be understood that the government have the absolute 
disposal of it, together with the right of levying ten per cent on the 
produce, which latter right would be commuted for with the inten¬ 
ding occupier at a rate to he determined upon between him and the 
local authorities. Whatever might be those terms, a grant would 
be given to the occupier of the land selected (after measurement to 
ascertain its area and boundaries) giving him the absolute right to, 
and disposal of, the land, so long as Malacca continues a British set¬ 
tlement, on condition of his paying annually what may he agreed on 
in lieu of the right of government to levy ten per cent on the pro¬ 
duce. If the land selected (or any part of it) is already occupied, 
and the tenants in possession be purchased out, no difficuty would 
occur either in transferring to the purchaser the terms on which the 
old occupants had commuted, or in cancelling them and framing 
other conditions. Of course an intending cultivator of this land 
could not be allowed to occupy land which has already been cleared 
by others whether those others have any documents of possession to 
shew or not, but it is not likely that such cleared lands would he 
fixed upon amid the many thousands of acres of uncleared rich vir¬ 
gin lands that are available throughout the country. ; Malacca is 
