contempt of punishment, with
astonishing composure and indifference; uttering little more on these
occasions than a proverbial saying, common among them, expressive of the
inevitability of fate--apa buli buat? To this stoicism, their belief in
predestination, and very imperfect ideas of a future, eternal existence,
doubtless contribute.

(*Footnote. In the history of the Portuguese wars in this part of the
East there appear some exceptions to this remark, and particularly in the
character of Laksamanna (his title of commander-in-chief being mistaken
for his proper name), who was truly a great man and most consummate
warrior.)

Some writer has remarked that a resemblance is usually found between the
disposition and qualities of the beasts proper to any country and those
of the indigenous inhabitants of the human species, where an intercourse
with foreigners has not destroyed the genuineness of their character. The
Malay may thus be compared to the buffalo and the tiger. In his domestic
state he is indolent, stubborn, and voluptuous as the former, and in his
adventurous life he is insidious, bloodthirsty, and rapacious as the
latter. Thus also the Arab is said to resemble his camel, and the placid
Hindu his cow.

CHARACTER OF NATIVE SUMATRANS.

The Sumatran of the interior country, though he partakes in some degree
of the Malayan vices, and this partly from the contagion of example,
possesses many exclusive virtues; but they are more properly of the
negative than the positive kind. He is mild, peaceable, and forbearing,
unless his anger be roused by violent provocation, when he is implacable
in his resentments. He is temperate and sober, being equally abstemious
in meat and drink. The diet of the natives is mostly vegetable; water is
their only beverage; and though they will kill a fowl or a goat for a
stranger, whom perhaps they never saw before, nor ever expect to see
again, they are rarely guilty of that extravagance for themselves; nor
even at their festivals (bimbang), where there is a plenty of meat, do
they eat much of anything but rice. Their hospitality is extreme, and
bounded by their ability alone. Their manners are simple; they are
generally, except among the chiefs, devoid of the Malay cunning and
chicane; yet endued with a quickness of apprehension, and on many
occasions discovering a considerable degree of penetration and sagacity.
In respect to women they are remarkably continent, without any share of