Note † — APPENDIX.

[^] We are informed by Marsden, that the Sumatrans are firmly persuaded that various particular persons are what they term “betuah,” (sacred, invulnerable, not liable to accident.) The belief which prevails in that island, however, among the Malays, of the transmigration of souls, does not extend to the Malays of the peninsula, who have spirits and imaginary beings of their own, among which we may safely reckon the Mawas and Bilian. Mr. Marsden says of the Sumatrans: “They have an imperfect notion of a metempsychosis, but not in any degree systematic, nor considered as an article of religious faith. Popular stories prevail among them, of such a particular man being changed into a tiger, or other beast. They seem to think, indeed, that tigers, in general, are actuated with the spirits of departed men, and no consideration will prevail on a countryman to catch or to wound one, but in self-defence, or immediately after the act of destroying a friend or relation. They speak of them with a degree of awe, and hesitate about calling them by their common name, (ariman or machang,) terming them respectfully sewa, the wild animals, or even nenck, (ancestors,) as really believing them such, or by way of soothing them, as our ignorant country-folks call the fairies ‘the good people.’”