arties, nor do they ever engage hand to hand,
but keep at a pretty safe distance, seldom nearer than random-shot,
excepting in case of sudden surprise. They march in single files, and
usually fire kneeling. It is not often that they venture a direct attack
upon each other's works, but watch opportunities of picking off
stragglers passing through the woods. A party of three or four will
conceal themselves near the footways, and if they see any of their foes
they fire and run away immediately; planting ranjaus after them to
prevent pursuit. On these occasions a man will subsist upon a potato a
day, in which they have much the advantage of the Malays (against whom
they are often engaged in warfare), who require to be better fed.

FORTIFICATIONS.

They fortify their kampongs with large ramparts of earth, halfway up
which they plant brushwood. There is a ditch without the rampart, and on
each side of that a tall palisade of camphor timber. Beyond this is an
impenetrable hedge of prickly bamboo, which when of sufficient growth
acquires an extraordinary density, and perfectly conceals all appearance
of a town. Ranjaus, of a length both for the body and the feet, are
disposed without all these, and render the approaches hazardous to
assailants who are almost naked. At each corner of the fortress, instead
of a tower or watch-house, they contrive to have a tall tree, which they
ascend to reconnoitre or fire from. But they are not fond of remaining on
the defensive in these fortified villages, and therefore, leaving a few
to guard them, usually advance into the plains, and throw up temporary
breast-works and entrenchments.

TRADE.

The natives of the sea-coast exchange their benzoin, camphor, and cassia
(the quantity of gold-dust is very inconsiderable) for iron, steel,
brass-wire, and salt, of which last article a hundred thousand bamboo
measures are annually taken off in the bay of Tappanuli. These they
barter again with the more inland inhabitants, in the mode that shall
presently be described, for the products and manufactures of the country,
particularly the home-made cloth; a very small quantity of cotton
piece-goods being imported from the coast and disposed of to the natives.
What they do take off is chiefly blue-cloth for the head, and chintz.

FAIRS HELD.

For the convenience of carrying on the inland-trade there are established
at the back of Tappanuli, which is their great mart, four stages, at
which successivel