They pride themselves much in the possession of a number of elephants' tusks, and brass gongs; the value of the first being determined according to their length, and of the latter by their weight and circumference. They formerly obtained these articles from the Banda traders, who themselves procured them from Batavia; but now they are brought by the Macassars from Batavia, Malacca and Singapore.[24] These articles do not form for them a necessary article of life, but are put to a more worthy use, which one would scarcely expect to find among such uncivilized people. They have a very excusable ambition to gain the name of rich men, by paying the debts of their poorer fellow villagers. The officer, whom I quoted above, related to me a very striking instance of this. At Affara he was present at the election of the village chiefs, two individuals aspiring to the station of Orang Tua. The people chose the elder of the two, which greatly afflicted the other, but he soon afterwards expressed himself satisfied with the choice the people had made, and said to M. Bik, who had been sent there on a commission, "What reason have I to grieve; whether I am Orang Tua or not, I still have it in my power to assist my fellow villagers." Several old men agreed to this, apparently to comfort him. Thus the only use they make of their riches is to employ it in settling differences, and as this is essentially necessary in an Orang Tua, none but wealthy villagers can aspire to the office. The following occurrence gives a remarkable proof of the mildness of their laws. An Arafura, who had gone out fishing, intending to be absent eight days, did not return, and his wife, who had no more provisions at home than would last for this period, requested assistance from her neighbour. Hence arose a mutual friendship, which, however, at first only shewed itself in little attentions, the man drawing water, cutting wood, and providing fish for his fair neighbour, who could not avoid feeling grateful for the kindness; and no one will be surprised at their friendship at length ripening into love, when, conscious of their guilt, they took flight to one of the neighbouring islands. The husband, who had been detained by contrary winds, returned at the end of two months, and demanded his wife of her brothers, who were therefore necessitated to go in search of her, when the guilty couple were soon discovered and brought back to their village. The injured husband demanded an enormous fine from the seducer of his wife, which the latter refused to pay, stating that during his entire life he should not be able to collect a sufficient quantity of trepang to make up the sum. An appeal was therefore made to the elders, and on the woman being questioned, she frankly stated the kindness of her neighbour in supplying her wants had called forth her gratitude, and this ripened into love--she had made the first advances. The elders considered this mode of proceeding on the part of the wife rather