ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

SU M A T R A. zAl
emaciated; but they .are in other refpects abandoned and debauched.
The Leemoon and Batang Ajfy gold traders, on the contrary, who are an
active, laborious, people, but yet indulge as freely in opium as any
others whatever, are, notwithstanding, the moft healthy and vigorous
people to be met with on the ifland. It has been ufual alfo to attribute
to the practice, deftructive confequences of another nature; from the
frenzy it has been fuppofed to excite in thofe who take it in quantities.
But this fliould probably rank with the many errors that mankind have
been led into, by travellers addicted to the marvellous; and there is every
reafon to believe, that the furious quarrels, defperate affaffinations, and
fanguinary attacks, which the ufe of opium is faid to give birth to, are
idle notions, originally adopted through ignorance, and fince maintained,
from the mere want of inveftigation, without having any folid
foundation. That thofe defperate acts of indifcriminate murder, called
by us, mucks, and by the natives, mongamo, do actually take place, and
in fome parts of the eaft, frequently, (on Java in particular) is not to
be controverted; but it is not equally evident that they proceed from any
intoxication, except that of their unruly paffions. Too often they are
occasioned by excefs of cruelty and injuftice in their oppreflbrs. On the
Weft coaft of Sumatra about twenty thoufand pounds weight of this
drug, are confumed annually, yet inftances of this crime do not happen,
(at leaft within the fcope of our knowledge) above once in two or three
years. During my refidence there I had an opportunity of being an eye
witnefs but to one muck. The flave of a Portugueze woman, a man of
the ifland of Neas, who in all probability had never handled an opium
pipe in his life, being treated by his miftrefs with extreme feverity, for
a trifling offence, vowed he would have revenge, if ïhe attempted to
ftrike him again; and ran down the fteps of the houfe, with a knife in
each hand, as it was faid. She cried out, mongamo! The civil guard
was called, who having the power, in thefe cafes, of exercifing fummary
juftice, fired half a dozen rounds, into an outhoufe, where the
unfortunate wretch had fheltered himfelf, on their approach; and from
Whence he was at length dragged, covered with wounds. Many other
mucks