insensibility. They are modest; particularly guarded in their
expressions; courteous in their behaviour; grave in their deportment,
being seldom or never excited to laughter; and patient to a great degree.
On the other hand, they are litigious; indolent; addicted to gaming;
dishonest in their dealings with strangers, which they esteem no moral
defect; suspicious; regardless of truth; mean in their transactions;
servile; though cleanly in their persons, dirty in their apparel, which
they never wash. They are careless and improvident of the future, because
their wants are few, for though poor they are not necessitous; nature
supplying, with extraordinary facility, whatever she has made requisite
for their existence. Science and the arts have not, by extending their
views, contributed to enlarge the circle of their desires; and the
various refinements of luxury, which in polished societies become
necessaries of life, are totally unknown to them. The Makassar and Bugis
people, who come annually in their praws from Celebes to trade at
Sumatra, are looked up to by the inhabitants as their superiors in
manners. The Malays affect to copy their style of dress, and frequent
allusions to the feats and achievements of these people are made in their
songs. Their reputation for courage, which certainly surpasses that of
all other people in the eastern seas, acquires them this flattering
distinction. They also derive part of the respect paid them from the
richness of the cargoes they import, and the spirit with which they spend
the produce in gaming, cock-fighting, and opium-smoking.

GOVERNMENT.

Having endeavoured to trace the character of these people with as much
fidelity and accuracy as possible, I shall now proceed to give an account
of their government, laws, customs, and manners; and, in order to convey
to the reader the clearest ideas in my power, I shall develop the various
circumstances in such order and connection as shall appear best to answer
this intent, without confining myself, in every instance, to a rigid and
scrupulous arrangement under distinct heads.

REJANGS DIVIDED INTO TRIBES.

The Rejang people, whom, for reasons before assigned, I have fixed upon
for a standard of description, but which apply generally to the orang
ulu, or inhabitants of the inland country, are distinguished into tribes,
the descendants of different ancestors. Of these there are four
principal, who are said to trace their origin to four