Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/139

LAWS. 125 the town of Macassar, committed a robbery upon a stranger merchant, residing under our protection, in the same town. The property taken was traced and recovered. The Bugis, some time thereafter, entered the shop of the merchant, and made what must appear to our ideas a very odd demand, re- muneration for the trouble he had had in commit- ting the theft, as he had been, by the restitution, deprived of the benefits of it. The merchant seiz- ed a spear which was close at hand, and pursued the Bugis, who, having no arms fit to contend with him, ran off. The merchant pursued him ; and, setting up the usual cry of " a muck," the Bugis was, as is common in such cases, beset and killed. The Bugis quarter was immediately in an uproar, and life for life was demanded. The European au- thority began deliberately to investigate the matter, but in a manner too slow for the vindictive tempe- rament of those who thought themselves aggrieved. For a moment ail appeared quietness, in the midst of which a lad not above thirteen or fourteen from the Bugis quarter entered that of the Macassars, or native subjects of the European authority, and de- liberately stabbed to death the first individual he met with. As soon as this retribution was executed, both sides remained as contented as if ample and complete justice had been administered, and no more was heard from them of the transaction. Among the same inhabitants of Celebes, the