Note 427 — Chapter II · GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLAVERY.

Van Hasselt gives a detailed account of slavery among the Malays of Menangkabao. In 1876 the slaves and pawns on the West Coast of Sumatra were emancipated by the Dutch government. But in the territories which are not under Dutch control slavery in van Hasselt’s time was still carried on to a great extent. In the little independent states a chief’s power depended upon the number of his slaves, who tilled his lands and strengthened his force in warfare. The slaves in the restricted sense were purchased and captured persons and their offspring. Besides these there were pawns427. Several further particulars are given in Van Hasselt’s valuable book. Willinck, in his recent work on the laws of the Malays of Menangkabao, describes their slave system in details428.