Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/134

 150 LAWS. justified in puttinjij the offender to death. Exam- ples of laws dictated in tliis spirit liave been already quoted. The quarrels of a people brave, always armed, and punctiliously regardful of the point of honour, more frequently end in wounds and death than in personal abuse and blows. In the imperfect state of law and government which exists, a large share of the right of avenging wrongs is left in the hands of private persons. The law even expressly interdicts all interference when there appears a cha- racter 0^ fairness in the quarrel. In illustration of this curious principle, I shall quote a few passages. each other an equal dislike, being equally fierce, equally brave, and armed with equal weapons, fight, and inflicting mutual wounds, one of them is kil- led, the survivor shall not be punished by the ma- gistrate. If a third party interfere, and, attempt- ing to part the combatants, is killed or wound- ed, the magistrate shall take no notice of the affair." The laws of the Malays are still more full on the subject. " If," says the Malacca code, " two per- sons fight, and exchange stabs ^ and a third person interfere with kris, cleaver, or cudgel, should such a one be stabbed, cut, bruised, or killed, nothing shall be said on the subject." In a few situations, considered by the law as extreme cases,
 * If," say the laws of Bali, " two persons bearing