nners of the Batta people, obtained by Mr. Charles
Holloway from Mr. W.H. Hayes, has reached my hands. "In the month of July
1805 an expedition consisting of Sepoys, Malays, and Battas was sent from
Tapanuli against a chief named Punei Manungum, residing at Nega-timbul,
about thirty miles inland from Old Tapanuli, in consequence of his having
attacked a kampong under the protection of the company, murdered several
of the inhabitants, and carried others into captivity. After a siege of
three days, terms of accommodation being proposed, a cessation of
hostilities took place, when the people of each party having laid aside
their arms intermixed with the utmost confidence, and conversed together
as if in a state of perfect amity. The terms however not proving
satisfactory, each again retired to his arms and renewed the contest with
their former inveteracy. On the second day the place was evacuated, and
upon our people entering it Mr. Hayes found the bodies of one man and two
women, whom the enemy had put to death before their departure (being the
last remaining of sixteen prisoners whom they had originally carried
off), and from whose legs large pieces had been cut out, evidently for
the purpose of being eaten. During the progress of this expedition a
small party had been sent to hold in check the chiefs of Labusukum and
Singapollum (inland of Sibogah), who were confederates of Punei Manungum.
These however proved stronger than was expected, and, making a sally from
their kampongs, attacked the sergeant's party and killed a sepoy, whom he
was obliged to abandon. Mr. Hayes, on his way from Negatimbul, was
ordered to march to the support of the retreating party; but these having
taken a different route he remained ignorant of the particulars of their
loss. The village of Singapollam being immediately carried by storm, and
the enemy retreating by one gate, as our people entered at the opposite,
the accoutrements of the sepoy who had been killed the day before were
seen hanging as trophies in the front of the houses, and in the town
hall, Mr. Hayes saw the head entirely scalped, and one of the fingers
fixed upon a fork or skewer, still warm from the fire. On proceeding to
the village of Labusucom, situated little more than two hundred yards
from the former, he found a large plantain leaf full of human flesh,
mixed with lime-juice and chili-pepper, from which he inferred that they
had been surprised in the very act of feasting on t