between their own contending factions, which often have recourse to arms, even upon points of ceremonious precedence, and are reasoned into accommodation by our resident going among them unattended.  At an earlier period our protection was convenient to them against the usurpation, as they termed it, of the Dutch, of whose attempts and claims they were particularly jealous.  By an article of the treaty of Paris in 1763 these pretensions were ascertained as they respected the two European powers, and the settlements of Natal and Tappanuli were expressly restored to the English.  They had however already been re-occupied.  Neither in fact have any right but what proceeds from the will and consent of the native princes.

(Footnote.  Upon the re-establishment of the factory in 1762 the resident pointed out to the Datu besar, with a degree of indignation, the number of dead bodies which were frequently seen floating down the river, and proposed his cooperating to prevent assassinations in the country, occasioned by the anarchy the place fell into during the temporary interruption of the Company’s influence.  “I cannot assent to any measures for that purpose,” replied the datu:  “I reap from these murders an advantage of twenty dollars a head when the families prosecute.”  A compensation of thirty dollars per month was offered him, and to this he scarcely submitted, observing that he should be a considerable loser, as there fell in this manner at least three men in the month.  At another time, when the resident attempted to carry some regulation into execution, he said, “kami tradah suka begito, orang kaya!” “We do not choose to allow it, sir;” and bared his right arm as a signal of attack to his dependants in case the point had been insisted on.  Of late years habit and a sense of mutual interest have rendered them more accommodating.)

BATTA GOVERNMENTS.

The government of the Batta country, although nominally in the hands of three or more sovereign rajas, is effectively (so far as our intercourse with the people enables us to ascertain) divided into numberless petty chiefships, the heads of which, also styled rajas, have no appearance of being dependant upon any superior power, but enter into associations with each other, particularly with those belonging to the same tribe, for mutual defence and security against any distant enemy.  They are at the same time extremely jealous of any increase of their relative power, and on the slightest pretext a war breaks out between them.  The force of different kampongs is notwithstanding this very unequal, and some rajas possess a much more extensive sway than others; and it must needs be so, where every man who can get a dozen followers and two or three muskets sets up for independence.  Inland of a place called Sokum great respect was paid to a female chief or uti (which word I conceive to be a liquid pronunciation of putri, a princess), whose jurisdiction comprehended many tribes.  Her grandson,