ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

P R E F A C E . vii
I was principally encouraged to this undertaking by the pro-
mifes of afilftance I received from fome ingenious, and very
highly efteemed friends, who refided with me on Sumatra. It
has alfo been urged to me here in England, that as the fubject is
altogether new, it is a duty incumbent on me, to lay the infor­
mation I am in pofleffion of, however defective, before the public,
who will not object to it's being circumfcribed, whilft it's authen­
ticity remains unimpeachable. This laft quality is that which I
can with the moft confidence take upon me to vouch for. The
greateft portion of what I have defcribed, has fallen within the
fcope of my own immediate obfervation; the remainder is either
matter of common notoriety to every perfon refiding on the ifland,
or received upon the concurring authority of gentlemen, whofe
fituation in the Eaft India Company's fervice; long acquaintance
with the natives j extenfive knowledge of their language, ideas,
and manners; and refpectability of chara&er, render them wor­
thy of the moft implicit faith that can be given to human tefti-
mony.
I have been the more fcrupuloufly exact in this particular, be-
caufe my view was not, ultimately, to write an entertaining book,
to which the marvellous might be thought not a little to contri­
bute, but fincerely and confcientioufly to add the fmall portion in
my power, to the general knowledge of the age j to throw fome
glimmering light on the path of the naturalift; and more efpe-
cially to furniih thofe philofophers, whofe labors have been di­
rected to the inveftigation of the hiftory of Man, with facts to
ferve