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ACCOUNT OF CELEBES , AMBOYNA, "&C.

The government of this country was veiled, in former times, in ten nobles, oreftates, who had all entered into engagements with the Company ; three of themvoluntarily ; the feven others are commonly called Princes of the IWen rivers. Theyformerly were fubject to the Macaflers, and, in token of allegiance, were obliged tofend a yearly tribute of long fhields; they even were forced to receive a governorfrom Macaffer, whom they, however, rejected in the year 1658, though they remainedotherwife faithful to that country.

By the contract of Boni, the Macaflers refigned all claim to the dominion overMandhar ; after which their Princes, or eftates, were feveral times fummoned to enterinto treaty with the Company ; but they all, except one, obftinately refufed to do it.On this account, they were made war againft by the Company, and by the Bouginefe,but were never fubdued, as they always fled to the mountains ; but, in the year 1674,fearing that they fliould be attacked by Radja Palakka, they humbled themfelves beforethe Company, and figned and fwore to the engagements required. Yet they nevermuch obferved them, efpecially not thofe articles which bind them not to navigate anyveflels without paflesfrom the Company, and which forbid them to admit any veflels intotheir harbours which are not provided with fuch pafles. Neverthelefs they are deferv-ing of praife and efteem for the refpefl; which they otherwife pay to the Company andto Boni, and for the readinefs which they Ihewed in aflifting the Company in the laft war.

Toadja, as pronounced by the Macaflers, or Wadjo, as pronounced by the Bouginefe,is fituated north of the river Chinnanfe Boni, which divides this country from that ofBoni, extending to Panekee, which, though a free ftate, is efteemed a dependency ofWadjo, and which reaches to Cotenga. Behind Panekee and Kera, Wadjo ftretchesnorthwards to Larompo, or Loehoe. To the weft it touches upon the Borders of AdjaTamparang, or Sedeenring.

It is governed by forty Princes, or Regents, amongft whom women are admittedequally with men. Thefe nobles are all obliged to remain in Wadjo ; yet, when requi-fite, they are allowed to go for a Ihort time to their lands, in order to effedl what maybe neceflary ; but as foon as this is done, they muft immediately return to Wadjo.

The forty are divided into three diftinft bodies, or eftates, each of which has a chiefbanner or flag, to which they belong. Out of each of thefe three again two chiefs arechofen, one for warlike affairs, who is ftyled patara, and the other for the civil admi-niftration of the government, ftyled padenrang, who have for their prefident the mat-toua, or elected King, who belongs to neither of the three eftates, and conftitutes thefortieth Prince, fo that each divifion confifts of thirteen members.

Thefe laft feven chiefs, to which high authority no woman is admiflible, form anafiembly in whom, the chief government in every thing is vefted, in the name of theforty nobles of Wadjo, except in the point of making war or peace, for which thegrand council of the forty are aflembled, in whofe deliberations the mattoua has, if -neceflary, a double or calling vote *.

Upon

* Though our Butch traveller had undoubtedly the beft opportunities for becoming acquainted withthe feveral republican, or rather feudal, conftitutions which appear to prevail in the petty ftates of Celebes ,it may not be unpleafuig to compare his account with that of Captain Forrell, who navigated in theeaftern parts of India , at different times, from 1763 to 177 6 , and whofe information on this fubjeft wasobtained from the Indians. “ Warjoo, or Tuadjoo,” he lays, “ is governed by an eledlive Prince, calledAramatooa. He is elected for life by tbe four nobles of the higheft rank, called oran cayo batta bazar(nobles of the great flag), from the body of an inferior nobility, called oran cayo batta ampat palo (noblesof the forty flags, there being forty in number). When eledled, if he fhould fay, ‘ I am poor,’ which maybe the cafe, the reply made to him by the nobleman who prefides at the ele&ion is, ‘ Warjoo berennee,Warjoo caio, Warjoo guaffo,’ which fignilies, Warjoo is brave, rich, and powerful; intimating, no doubt,