Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society/Volume 1/Toba, in Sumatra

TOBA,—SUMATRA.

From a detailed description of High Toba, in the Batak Country, appearing in the Sumatra Courant of the 4th April, the following particulars were recently translated in the Straits Times. Since the Military operations of the Dutch from Singkel, some accurate information has, for the first time, been obtained regarding these interesting districts, hitherto a terra incognita even to the Dutch themselves.

"High Toba, which is at present so much talked of on the coasts, is a table land, situated between the 2nd and 3rd degrees of North Latitude and between the 95th and 20th degrees of East Longitude from Greenwich. It is generally an extensive steppe country covered almost every where with thickly growing lallang and intersected by clefts from 200 to 300 rhine-land feet deep. In the plain the Tobanese cultivates dry rice and ubi. In tilling, he makes use of an efficient plough drawn by one or two buffaloes. In the clefts which usuaily abound in water, many promising Sawah fields are met with. Excepting maize, gambier, pisang, and some other fruits, no produce is, however, found, even fire wood is very scarce. Notwithstanding this scarcity the soil cannot be termed unfertile, it being almost every where covered with a thick layer of humus. But mutual divisions among the people and mutual hatred prevent joint efforts to irrigate the land by canals from the Batang Taro river which rises there. High Toba being about 3000 feet above the sea level, the temperature is very moderate and may sometimes be even termed cold. In the shade the thermometer barely rises to 20° Reaumur, and early in the morning it falls to 12° R. The populations of High Toba, who in manners, customs, several of their general laws, and certain pecularities of character form a whole, may be divided amongst inhabited places lying 1 to 2 hours from each other; or if preferable, amongst districts containing 20, 30, or 40 villages close together. On the other hand, on the shores of the Toba lake, 1,000 villages containing 300,000 souls at least can be seen at a glance. A traveller coming from the south can see the lake lying 1,500 to 2,000 feet below him, the panorama being an impressive one, assuredly too grand for cannibals like the Bataks. Even Switzerland with its abundance of lakes need not be ashamed to include that blue mirror in its landscapes. The Toba lake is fed by a great number of streams which flow into it from all sides, chiefly from the north. It has a considerable outlet on the cast. It lies from east to north west, being about 10 hours long and 4 broad, with a breath of 6 hours to the north west. In the middle there is, however, a large and thickly peopled island. The prahu's of the natives are made of long hollowed-out tree stems, provided on both sides with outriggers to keep the equilibrium. With there very heavy and unwieldy prahus manned by 200 to 300 men naval battles are sometimes fought. On the shores of the lake, which are as it were covered with villages, there are splendid terraces laid out into rice fields lying one above another. The villages are mostly well fortified and impregnable to a Batak enemy, but in constructing them, cartouche, shot and shells have naturally not been thought of several are surrounded by walls 10 to 20 feet high which are often protected by ditches 20, 30, and even 40 feet deep. These ditches are flushed by the help of conduits, and, when the village is besieged, can again be filled with water. One village, so fortified, once held out against an enemy 10,000 strong. For greater security bastions are also built, surrounded by concealed pitfalls, ranju's, and such like. Notwithstanding the great scarcity of wood, the houses and lam's (assembly houses) are very strongly and elegantly built, the honour and riches of the natives consisting in them. We have already often mentioned that Toba is thickly peopled. Almost all the Batak-tribes hold that Toba is the cradle of their race. In the character of the people there is, however, something savage, something unbridled; yes, something of the animal. To those however, who can deal with them they are accessible, and suffer themselves to be led by them. Yet, in consequence of other circumstances, missionary work will be somewhat difficult there. In no case however will it be hopeless labour. Besides great riches and deep poverty, the most intense cunning, and credible narrow mindedness, we find there also the most disgusting deformities by the side of many slim muscular and well built forms. These contrasts are caused by the complete freedom of the one and the complete dependence and slavery of the other.

"Let us look upon a genuine Tobanese. There he stands before you with regular, large and well built figure, usually with significant and defiant looks. His clothing gives one at once a high opinion of his prosperity and princely descent. A durable garment, either black and white, or black and red, of the value of 4 to 6 Spanish dollars, is bound round the trips by a white girdle, and hangs down to his feet. Another garment as costly hangs over the shoulder. Both his ears are adorned with gold rings, and ou his head he wears a white or red turban. At feasts the latter is of silk, or be wears an ornamental string of pearls through his hair, which he allows to hang down in long plaits in war time; besides a copper pipe, worth 30 Spanish dollars. In Toba a tael of gold is worth 8 Spanish dollars.

"In terrible contrast with the dress of the well-to-do, is the deep misery of the slaves. When these unfortunates become enslaved by usury and deceit, every measure is, generally speaking, taken to keep them in the lowest stage of poverty and want. In the possession of a great number of slaves consist, properly speaking, the wealth and the pride of a prosperous Tobanese. It is no rarity to find notables or headmen each possessing from 100 to 200 slaves, there being even families who possess as many as ten villages, all inhabited by slaves, who till the fields, build the villages, and serve as soldiers in the wars of their masters. We have still to name one pitiable class of men, namely the eunuchs who, however, save in Toba, are no longer found in the Batak country. Luckily they are few; they are used to accompany and attend upon women. For free people and headmen wives are very dear in Toba. In Silindong and Pangaloan, people pay 10 and more buffaloes for a young woman. In Toba the figure rises to 20 and 30, besides horses, gold, slaves, &c. In Toba alone the custom still prevails of keeping the skulls of deceased fathers and grandfathers. The dead man remains several years in a sopo, in a coffin closed with rosin, until the skull can at length be taken away without difficulty. On a suitable day the eldest son takes the skull of his father to the market place, shews it to the head men present, while he gives away a cow for public use saying "Our father wished once more to visit the market." Alter this there follows a series of festivities in honour of the deceased, for which the whole family bring together 20 to 30 buffaloes to be slaughtered. During the festivities the skull is adorned with a silk turban and gold rings. The skull at length finds a resting place in the grave. On domestic oceurrenees, and in war time, the skull plays an important part, together with the spirit of the deceased. Should a skull be made away with, it is considered as foreboding ill-luck, and as being the greatest disgrace that can befall a family."