Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SA VA GE MALA YS OF JOHOR 5 1
every side. The authority of the father was absolute,
nor were the sons freed from it even when they
had themselves become the heads of families. It is
probable that in the more purely nomadic ages the
family was less subject to be early broken up, and
that the patriarchal system prevailed to a yet fuller
extent. In the house, however, the husband
appeared more as an honoured guest than as its lord.
The wife had the entire management. A Benua
expressed their ideas on this score figuratively, by
saying that the husband was the captain of the vessel
(" Nakhoda prahu ") and the wife captain of the house
(" Nakhoda rumah ").'
Chiefs?
Benua- Jakun.—The boundary between the east
coast State of Pahang and Johor intersects the Benua
country ;
the whole of the Anak Endau and the lower
part of the Sembrong being in Pahang (and conse-
quently under the Bendahara), and all the other rivers,
including the Madek, on which the Benua are found,
appertaining to Johor (so that they are, consequently,
under the Temenggong). The authority of the Bendahara
and the Temenggong, however, was little more
than nominal, the affairs of the Benua being entirely
administered by their own chiefs, each of whom had a
definite territorial jurisdiction. The highest in rank
and in nominal authority was the Batin Anak
Setia, the descendant of the ancient (traditionary)
Raja of the Benua. On the Endau, below the
junction of the Sembrong and Anak Endau, resided
'
J. I. A. vol. i. pp. 266, 267. into tribes, each under an elder, termed
2 Ibid. pp. 273-275 (quoted by De the Batin, who directs its movements
Quatrefages, pp. 221, 222). See and settles disputes. In the states of
also Newbold's account (vol. ii. pp. Sungei Ujong and Johol are twelve
392-394): "The Benua are divided tribes, consisting of upwards of 1000
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