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strengthened by traces of housebreaking. It may also be supported by the fact that the thing stolen is found in the possession of another (the receiver) to whom compensation is paid on the condition that he points out the thief; or again, the fact that it is found in the gampōng and that various circumstances point to a particular person as the thief who has escaped pursuit.
In order to give some idea of the peculiar adats among the Achehnese in criminal cases, which are characterized no less than their family life by set speeches and dramatic display, we append an example of the peusah panchuri in a case in which the thief has been killed on the spot. The attendant circumstances are imaginary, but most of the formulae are invariable.
The body of the thief, with the objects which serve as testimony, are left undisturbed till the ulèëbalang[1], who is notified as soon as possible, appears in the gampōng attended by some imeums and keuchiʾs.
These authorities seat themselves over against the slayer of the thief, and the people of the gampōng crowd around on all sides. The slayer is usually represented by a speechmaker of the gampōng, but he may of course speak for himself if he wish. Standing up in his place he delivers himself on this wise:
"I beg forgiveness of you all, oh Teungkus[2], ye that are my kings, for the reason for which I stand here, oh Teuku ampōn, is threefold.
"The first reason is, that I desire to pay homage to you, oh Teukus, who are my kings. The second reason is, oh Teuku ampōn, that I wish to relate to you that which has befallen me. The third reason is, oh Teuku ampōn, that I have to inform you as follows. During the past night, Friday the 15th of Mòʾlōt, I was sleeping in the meunasah. At about midnight, as well as I could guess, I was startled and awaked from sleep with a feeling of uneasiness. I took my weapons, a sikin, a reunchōng and a spear, and went back into the gampōng[3], for I keep a beast there.
- ↑ Or else, as we saw above, the panglima sagi, or a council of three imeums, as the local custom may dictate.
- ↑ Although almost all those present actually bear the title teuku, it is the traditional custom for the speaker to use the word teungku in the commencement of his address. Subsequently he directs his narrative more exclusively to the ulèëbalang, whom he addresses according to custom as teuku ampōn.
- ↑ The houses of the gampōng in contradistinction to the meunasah are here meant. Cf. p. 61 above.
