umatra. Padang, as its name implies,
is situated in a plain, and is a very few feet above the level of the
sea; yet, it is a healthy place. It was once in possession of a
considerable trade, but this has diminished of late years, in most
articles, except coffee, of which I am told it now exports 60,000
_peculs_ per annum. The harbour or anchorage is about five miles from
the mouth of the small river on the banks of which the town stands, and
is a dangerous one in boisterous weather, having little or no protection
from the fury of the north-west monsoon. The trade from Java to this
part of Sumatra, consists principally of rice, salt, native clothing,
and a few supplies for the European and Chinese inhabitants of the
place: in return, it sends coffee and pepper. There is a disgraceful
traffic carried on between Padang and the island of Nias, a little
further up the coast, by Chinese, who visit that island, and purchase
hundreds of its inhabitants, for whom they find markets all along the
coast. Those brought to Padang, are not, indeed, sold as slaves; but
they are registered at the Resident's office, and held as bond-debtors
for different terms of seven, fifteen, and even twenty years: during
this servitude, they are treated as slaves, but are free at its
expiration; they have also the option of buying their liberty in the
meantime, if they can raise the means; and the proprietor is not at
liberty to refuse a sum equivalent to the value of the unexpired term of
service. This value is fixed thus: on the registering of a debtor, a
certain sum is put down as his value or debt; say 400 rupees; of this
sum, a certain proportion, say 20 rupees, is placed to his credit for
every year he serves; so that, if he serves his master for five years,
his debt is reduced to three hundred rupees; and this sum, the master is
compelled to accept as the price of his liberation. If a debtor has a
hard master, he is at liberty to induce another to buy his services; and
the transfer cannot be declined, if the sum due is forthcoming. These
Nias people are, men and women, a much fairer race than Malays, and
speak a language of their own. Many of the men become expert carpenters,
bricklayers, blacksmiths, &c., which enables them to earn money and
purchase their freedom; and for such skilled artisans, the master can
demand no more as the price of their freedom than the balance due upon
their services. I have seen boat-loads of these poor creatures la