The History of Sumatra

The History of Sumatra is a book by William Marsden. It provides the reader with an account of the leadership, laws, traditions and manners of the native inhabitants of Sumatra. Excerpt: "The most obvious division, and which has been usually made by the writers of voyages, is that of Mahometan inhabitants of the sea-coast, and Pagans of the inland country. This division, though not without its degree of propriety, is vague and imperfect; not only because each description of people differ considerably among themselves, but that the inland inhabitants are, in some places, Mahometans, and those of the coast, in others, what they term Pagans."