Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. XI SAVAGE MALAYS OF jV. SEMBILAN 545
tance, and according to Menangkabau custom a man
cannot marry in his own tribe, that is, in the tribe of
his mother. Hence a Beduanda man must marry into
another tribe, and his children belong to the tribe of
the mother/
It is often most interesting to converse with Batins
and Jakun chiefs on their traditions and laws, especially
in tracing the connection with the Malay Mohammedan
customs. A Batin will invariably tell you
that all the forest and waste lands—called by them
" Gaung," " Guntong," " Bukit," " Bukau," as inclusive
of everything uncultivated—belong to them. This is
by origin correct ; but there is at the same time no
doubt that they have parted with their rights to the
Mohammedan tribe of Beduanda in all cases of
government, concession, and taxation. Still the
Dato' of Johol pays to the Batin of Johol a pro-
portion of the revenues derived from waste lands
through his minister the Jinang of Johol, who is, so
to speak, minister for the aborigines. The Batins
often collect themselves where the Beduanda are
remiss in doing so. For instance, in Muar {i.e. on
the reaches of the Muar river above the Segamat
boundary), Batin Gemala, who is the principal Batin
of Johol, declared that he collected a fee that he called
the people of Menangkabau who countries in wliich tliey might quietly
penetrated into the Negri Sembilan settle and make their home. Now it
vid Malacca or the Muar river came is more than probable that all these
as settlers. They came in search of settlers came from the interior of
pastures new, possibly on account of Sumatra. Th'jy were accustomed to
troubles and disturbances in the State mountains, hilly districts where existed
of Menangkabau in Sumatra, just as rich alluvial valleys, in which they
we did in leaving English shores for knew they would find soils fertile
the continent of America. They were and easy of irrigation'' {J. R. A. S.,
no Rajas or warriors on the look-out S. B., No. 22, Dec. 1890, pp. 299,
for conquest and plunder, but merely 300).
peaceful immigrants from Sumatra, ^ J. R. A. S., S. B., No. 22, p.
who hoped to find fertile and rich 302.
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