Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/151

LAWS. 137 Susunan, another pretender was executed at Solo, nearly in the same manner, having been pinched to death by the populace ! Of offences aga'mst the laws of nature the laws of the Indian islanders provide for none but the imaginary one of sorcery or witchcraft. One of the great advantages which the natives of the Indian islands have derived from their con- version to the Mahomedan religion, is a freedom from the terrors of this supposed offence. Though far from disbelieving in magic, we do not find the minds of the converted natives haunted by the terrors of the diabolical superstition entertained by their ancestors, and by the tribes which still adhere to Hinduism. Sorcery, among the latter, is con- sidered one of the most atrocious crimes. " If," say the laws of the Balinese, ** a man falsely ac- cuse another of sorcery, and speak publicly there- of, the magistrate shall fine him forty thousand." The following odious and sanguinary law of the same people describes what they mean by incanta- tion or sorcery, and directs what is to be the pu- nishment : '* If a person write the name of an- other on the winding-sheet of a corpse, or on a dead man's bier, or makes images of another of paste, or writing the name of a man on a slip of paper, suspends it on a tree, buries it in the earth, deposits it in haunted ground, or where two roads cross each other, any of these shall be deemed sor-