ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

S U M A T R A . 17;
appear beft to arrfwer this intent, without confining myfelf, in every
inftance, to a rigid and fcrupulous arrangement into diftintt heads.
The inhabitants of the Rejang country live in villages or docfoons, ^""the"*
each under the government of a magiftrate ftyled Dupatty. His depen- R ejangs.
dants are termed Ana-looa^ and in number feldom exceed one hundred.
A certain proportion of the dupatties belonging to each river; the villages
being always fituated by the water fide ;-j~ are chofen to meet in
a legislative or judicial capacity, at the qualloe or river's mouth, and
thefe are diftinguiihed by the name of Proatteen, The Pameran or Pangeran
D J ° or chief,
prince of the country, prefides over the whole. I would point out in
what confifts the fealty of a dupatty to a pangeran, and of his ana-booa to
him, but fo very little is to be obferved in either cafe, that it is not an
eafy matter to defcribe it. Almoft without arts, and with but little induftry,
the ftate of property is nearly equal among all the inhabitants,
and the chiefs fcarcely differ but in title, from the bulk of the people.
Their authority is no more than nominal, being without that coercive His authorii
power, neceffary to make themfelves feared and implicitly obeyed.
This is the natural refult of poverty among nations habituated to peace j
where the two great political engines of intereft and military force are
wanting. Their government is founded in opinion, and the fubmiffion
of the people is voluntary. The domeftic rule of a private family, beyond
a doubt, fuggefted firft the idea of government in fociety, and this people
having made but fmall advances in civil policy, theirs retains a ftrong
refemblance of.its original. It is connected alfo with the principle of
the feudal fyftem, into which it would probably fettle, Should it attain to
a greater degree of refinement. All the other governments throughout
the ifland, are likewife a mixture of the patriarchal and feudal; and it
may be obferved, that where a fpirit of conqucft has reduced the inha-
.
* Apparently a figurative expreffion, from fruit hanging on a tree.
•f The names which we ufually apply to countries or diftricrs, belong properly to the river»}
and it is, with the natives, more common to fay, the people of fuch *Jrivar, than of fuch a country.
Rivers in Europe divide provinces, but in India they are confidered as running through the
center of thsuii
Y y bitants