The Bugis write and speak a different language from either of the other tribes of the Celebes, either of Macassar, Mandar, or Kaili. They have a code of civil and criminal law, referring to a state of government and society, of a patriarchal character; and they have also a code of maritime laws, dated in the year 1087, of the Hejera, (Hegira,) from which I have made some extracts. Wajo is situated nearly in the centre of the Celebes, and the Bugis live on the northern banks of an extensive lake, about twenty-four miles in breadth. The outlet of the lake is a river, which falls into the bay of Boni, and is navigable for boats of twenty tons. This people are the sole native carriers of the Archipelago, possessing an industry and enterprise far beyond the generality of the Malayan tribes. They carry on an extensive trade with all the ports in the Celebes; to Bonivati; to the eastern and western coasts of Borneo; to the islands of Lombok, Bali, Sumbawa, Flores, Sandal Wood, Ceram, Timor, the Arrows, New Guinea, &c. These bring gold-dust, bird’s-nests, tortoise-shell, camphor, paddy, bichos do mar, rattans, pepper, shark’s-fins, fish-maws, agar-agar, (sea-weed,) garro-wood, mats, pamore, iron, striped and Tartan cotton cloths, oil, tallow, mother-of-pearl, shells, &c., &c. Their cargoes are valuable, and vary from ten to forty thousand dollars. They take, in return, opium, British and Indian piece-goods, fire-arms, powder, Siamese iron-pans, &c.; Chinese coarse earthenware, &c., &c. [Sidenote: MARITIME LAWS.] Maritime laws were established (as stated in a pamphlet published in the year 1832) by Matorvei Father Gapa, (a practitioner in law,) at Macassar, in the Hejera 1087, on Monday, the seventeenth day of Moharain. The first _five_ sections relate to the rate of freight and passage-money, to and from various places, and explaining a mode of trade, existing to the present day, in the east. A person having goods, either natural produce or manufactured, puts his articles on board a prahū, going to any place where he can find a market: these goods pay a per centage freight, as laid down by the law, and the passage-money is included in that charge; and during the voyage, he takes part in rowing or sailing the prahū, &c., &c.