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Malay　ruleit　is　necessary　to　consider　the　all…but　slavery　of　the
debtors　and　the　difficulty　of　making　any　arrangement　between　debtor　and
creditor　which　while　it　frees　the　one　will　satisfy　the　other；　and　still
be　in　keeping　with　the　〃adat　Malayu；〃　as　interpreted　in　these　States。

The　relative　positions　of　debtor　and　creditor　in　the　Western　States；
more　especially　in　Perak；　involve　evils　which　are；　I　believe；　quite
unknown　to　Europeans；　even　those　living　so　near　as　Singapore。

The　evils　to　which　I　refer　have　hitherto　been　regarded　as　unavoidable；
and　a　part　of　the　ordinary　relations　between　Rajahs　and　subjects。

I　may　premise　by　saying　that　though　the　system　of　〃debt…slavery；〃　as
it　has　been　called；　exists　to　some　extent　in　all　the　States；　it　is　only
seen　in　its　worst　light　where　a　Rajah　or　chief　is　the　creditor　and　a
subject　the　debtor。

Few　subjects　in　a　Malay　country　are　well　off。　The　principal　reason　of
this　is；　that　as　soon　as　a　man　or　woman　is　known　to　be　in　possession　of
money；　he　or　she　would　be　robbed　by　the　Rajah；　or　the　money　would　be
borrowed　with　no　intention　of　future　payment；　whether　the　subject
wished　to　lend　or　not。

Thus；　when　a　Ryot　（or　subject）　is　in　want　of　money；　he　goes　to　his
Rajah　or　chief　to　lend　it　him；　because　he　alone　can　do　so。　Either　money
or　goods　are　then　lent；　and　a　certain　time　stipulated　for　payment。　If
at　the　expiration　of　that　time　the　money　is　not　paid；　it　is　usual　to
await　some　time　longer；　say　two　or　three；　or　even　six　months。

Should　payment　not　then　be　made；　the　debtor；　if　a　single　man；　is　taken
into　the　creditor's　house；　he　becomes　one　of　his　followers；　and　is
bound　to　execute　any　order　or　do　any　work　the　Rajah　as　creditor　may
demand；　until　the　debt　is　paid；　however　long　a　time　that　may　be。

During　this　time　the　Rajah　usually　provides　the　debtor　with　food　and
clothing；　but　if　the　creditor　gives　him　money；　that　money　is　added　to
the　debt。

Often；　however；　the　Rajah　gives　nothing；　and　the　debtor　has　to　find
food　and　clothing　as　he　can。

Should　the　debtor　marryand　the　Rajah　will　in　all　probability　find　him
a　wifethen　the　debtor's　wife；　his　children；　his　grandchildren；　all
become　equally　bound　with　himself　to　the　payment　of　this　debt。

Should　the　debtor　be　originally　married；　then　not　only　he；　but　his　wife
and　children；　are　taken　into　the　Rajah's　house；　and　are　his　to　order
until　the　debt　is　paid。

Should　the　debtor　be　a　woman；　unmarried；　or　a　widow；　the　same　course　is
taken；　and　whoever　marries　her　becomes　jointly　responsible　for　the
debt；　and　this　goes　on　through　generationsthe　children　and
grandchildren　of　the　debtor　being　held　in　the　same　bondage　by　the
children　and　grandchildren　of　the　creditor。

Should　at　any　time　the　debtor　succeed　in　raising　the　amount　of　the　debt
and　proffer　it　to　the　creditor；　then　it　would　be　customary　to　accept
it。　If；　however；　a　large　family　were　in　bondage　for　the　debt；　one　whose
numbers　seemed　to　the　Rajah　to　add　to　his　dignity；　then　he　would
probably　refuse　to　accept　payment；　not　absolutely；　but　would　say
〃wait；〃　and　the　waiting　might　last　for　years。

Debtors　once　absorbed　into　the　Rajah's　household　are　looked　upon　as　his
property；　just　as　his　bullocks　or　his　goats；　and　those　who　alone　would
have　the　power　to　interfere　look　on　and　say　nothing；　because　they　do
the　same　themselves。

In　different　States　this　debtor…bondage　is　carried　to　greater　or　less
extremities；　but　in　Perak　the　cruelties　exercised　toward　debtors　are
even　exclaimed　against　by　Malays　in　other　States。

Many　chiefs　in　Perak　have　a　following　principally　composed　of　young　men
and　girls；　for　the　most　part　debtors。

The　men　are　treated　as　I　have　already　describedeither　food　and
clothes　are　found　for　them　or　not；　they　are　usually　foundfor　the
Rajah's　power　and　his　pride　consists　in　the　number　of　arms…bearing
followers　he　has　at　his　beck　and　call；　men；　too；　are　useful　to　him　in
many　other　ways。　　Those　who　have　grown　old　in　their　bondage；　whether
men　or　women；　either　for　very　shame　the　Rajah　provides　for；　or　he
compels　their　children　to　support　them。

The　men　either　（1）　follow　because　they　like　it　（a　very　small　percentage
indeed）；　or　（2）　they　are　debtors；　or　the　children　of　debtors；　or　（3）
they　are　real　slaves　from　Sumatra　or　Abyssinia；　or　the　children　of
slaves。

The　girls　are　treated　differently；　they　are　（1）　either　slaves　or　the
daughters　of　slaves；　or　（2）　debtors；　the　daughters　or　granddaughters　of
debtors；　or　（3）　the　Rajah　has　simply　taken　them　from　their　houses　into
his　own　house　because　he　wanted　them；　or　（4）　they　follow　him　for
pleasure。

In　Perak　some　of　the　chiefs　do　not　provide　their　girls　with　food　or
clothing；　but　they　tell　them　to　get　these　necessaries　of　life　as　best
they　can；　i。e。；　by　prostitutionfor　the　labor　of　the　debtor　being　the
property　of　the　creditor；　prostitution　is　in　this　case　a　necessity　and
not　a　choice。

Each　Rajah　in　his　own　district　claims　the　privilege　of　fining；　either
for　a　capital　offence　or　for　a　trifling　misdeed。　Should；　then；　a　man　be
fined　and　not　pay　the　fine；　he　and　his　family；　if　he　has　one；　are　at
once　taken　into　this　debt…bondage；　not　to　work　out　the　fine；　but　to
toil　away　their　lives　amid　blows　and　upbraidingsthe　daughters　driven
to　prostitution；　the　sons　to　thieving；　and　even　greater　crimes。

This　is　no　exaggerated　statement；　but　the　plain　truth。

When　the　Rajah　gives　nothing；　neither　food　nor　clothes；　or　when　he　is　a
passionate　man；　and　threatens　to　kill　one　or　other　of　his　followers　for
some　trivial　offence；　or　for　no　offence　at　all；　it　often　happens　that
one　will　seek　refuge　in　flight。　If　caught；　though；　it　may　be　said　to　be
the　received　custom　to　inflict　only　some　slight　punishment；　yet　that
would　not　deter　a　Rajah　from　punishing　such　an　offence　even　with　death
should　it　seem　good　to　him。

Bond…debtors　are　handed　about　from　one　Rajah　to　another　without　a
thought　of　consulting　them。　If　one　runs　away　and　is　caught；　it　is　at
great　risk　of　being　put　to　death；　while　probably　no　one　would　move　a
finger　to　save　him；　his　master　excusing　himself　on　the　plea　that　it　is
necessary　to　frighten　others　from　running　away　also。

These　Rajah…creditors　would　tell　you　smilingly　that　they　knew　by
Mohammedan　law　the　creditors　can　take　and　sell　all　their　debtor's
property　for　an　overdue　debt；　and　that　then　the　debtor　is　free；　but
they　never　act　on　that　principle。

Many　men　and　women；　however；　rarely　incur　debts；　knowing　well　what　lies
before　them　in　case　of　non…payment。

Malays；　by　their　laws；　are　allowed　to　buy　and　sell　slaves；　and　if；
having　for　years　lost　sight　of　a　slave；　the　owner　finds　him　or　her；　he
takes　the　slave　with　his　wife　and　family；　if　he　has　one；　as　his　lawful
property。

There　is　one　other　phase　of　debtor…bondage；　and　that　a　common　one；
where　the　father　or　mother　places　one　or　more　of　their　own　children　as
security　with　the　creditor　for　a　debt；　thus　in　reality　selling　their
own　flesh　and　blood　into　often　a　life…long　bondage。　If　these　children
die　on　the　creditor's　hands；　the　parents　supply　their　places　by　others；
or　the　Rajah；　should　he　wish　it；　can　at　any　time　after　the　debt　is　due；
take　the　whole　family　into　his　house。

Only　the　other　day　a　man　here；　for　a　debt　of　40；　placed　his　daughter
in　a　Rajah's　hands　and　ran　away。　Probably　he　will　never　return；
meanwhile　the　girl　must　obey　her　master　in　all　things　like　the　veriest
slave。　Such　a　state　of　things　as　this　is　only　brought　about　by　the
custom　which　allows　it。

Another　common　practice　in　the　States；　more　especially　in　Perak；　is　to
capture；　as　you　might　wild　beasts；　the　unoffending　Jakun　women；　and
make　them　and　their　children　slaves　through　generations。

In　April　I　was　in　Ulu　Selangor；　and　the　headmen　there　complained　that　a
chief　from　Slim　had　a　fortnight　before　caught　14　Jakuns　and　one　Malay
in　Ulu　Selangor；　had　chained　them　and　driven　off　to　Slim。　Arrived
there；　the　Malay　was　liberated　and　he　returned。

Letters　were　written　to　Slim　and　Perak；　but　though　we　ascertained　the
party　had　reached　Slim；　they　did　not　remain　there；　and　they　have　not
yet　been　discovered。

I　have　already　stated　that　the　Rajah　looks　to　the　number　of　his
following　as　the　gauge　of　his　power；　and　other　Rajahs　will　respect　and
fear　him　accordingly。　Thus　he　tries　to　get　men　into　his　service　in　this
way；　and　is　rather　inclined　to　refuse　payment　should　the　debtor　be　so
fortunate　as　to　raise　the　requisite　amount　of　his　debt。

Almost　the　only　chance　the　debtor　has　of　raising　this　amount　is　by
successful　gambling。　Of　course　it　hardly　ever　happens　that　he　is
successful；　but；　like　all　gamblers；　he　always　thinks　he　will　be；　and
thus　gambling　becomes　a　mania　with　him；　which　he　will　gratify　at　all
costs；　caring　little　by　what　means　he　gets　money　for　play　so　long　as　he
does　obtain　it。

These　are　the　general　facts　relating　to　the　position　of　the
slave…debtor；　and　these　things　which　I　have　described；　seemingly　so
difficult　of　belief；　are　done　almost　daily；　looked　upon　by　those　who　do
them　as　a　right　divine；　by　the　victims　as　a　fate　from　which　there　is　no
reprieve。

To　compel　his　followers　to　obey　him　implicitly；　the　Rajah　treats　them
with　a　severity　which　sometimes　makes　death　the　punishment　of　the
slightest　offence　to　him。　These　followers　he　thus　holds　to　do　whatever
he　bids　them；　even　to　the　commission　of　the　gravest　crimes。

They　again；　having　to　provide　themselves　with　food　and　clothes；　and　yet
having　to　work　for　him；　are　led　to　prey　on　the　defenceless　population；
from　whom；　in　the　name　of　their　Rajah…master；　they　extort　whatever
there　is　to　get；　and　on　whom　they　sometimes　visit　those　cruelties　which
they　have　themselves　already　experienced。

This　system　of　debtor　bondage　influences；　then；　the　whole　population；
not　slightly　but　deeply；　in　ways　it　is　hardly　possible　to　credit　except
when　seen　in　a　constant　intercourse　with　all　classes　of　Malay　society。

The　question　at　issue　seems　to　be；　how　to　deprive　the　Rajah　of　this
great　poweran　unscrupulous　instrument　in　unscrupulous　handshow　to
free　the　debtors　from　their　bondage；　the　women　from　lives　of　forced
prostitution；　the　unoffending　population　from　the　robberies　and
murderous　freaks　of　Rajahs　and　their　bondsmen。*　
＇*