states, each governed by its own hereditary despot,
while the general government is vested in one of the
number elected by the rest. The presidency has
been long elective in the family of the Prince of the
state of jBontualah, even at present little more than
a considerable village. The princes in their own
language are denominated king, Arung, and the
only distinction left to the head of the confederacy
is to~ have the letter a appended to this appellative.
The distinction among the Macassars is
exactly similar; they make the word Kraing, or
prince, Krainga, when they speak of the supreme
head of their confederation.
The head of the Boni confederacy can do nothing
without the other princes, who are his counsellors.
The public treasure is in their charge,
and they decide on peace and war. The same
council chooses the Tumilalang, or first minister,
by whom, or through whose agents, justice is administered.
The chief of the confederacy cannot
correspond in his own name on public affairs, but
the letters must run thus, “ We, the king, and the
people of Boni, decree, resolve,” &c. I have perused
several of these. The seven counsellors are
called from their number Arnug-pitu, which is as
much as to say, the council of the seven lords or
princes. Besides choosing the head of the confederacy,
these are themselves elected. Their offices
are hereditary in families, but the council chooses
the individual, and not only fills up vacancies by
death, but will take upon them to remove an obnoxious
individual, and proceed to a new election.
Independent of their deliberative functions, the
members of the council of seven hold also executive
offices ; one, for example, is first minister, another
commander of the army, &c.
Any individual of the privileged families, even
a woman or an infant, is eligible to be raised either
to the government of the particular states, or to
be head of the general government. When a woman
or minor, as very frequently happens, is raised
to the latter office, the constitution provides a
guardian. This person is called in their language
Madangrang, which means literally “ a prop or
support.”
The head of the confederacy cannot separate himself
from his council to go on a warlike expedition,
or similar employment, without, by a kind of fiction,
making a temporary abdication of the throne.
In this case he is at liberty to nominate a viceroy,
an officer who, in the Bugis language, is called his
Sulewatang, or proxy. The majority of the
council then attend the king, and the remainder
stay with the Sulewatang to render him assistance.
In illustration of this peculiarity of the government,
I shall report the substance of a conversation
which took place in 1814, in the council of
Boni, as it was rendered to me from the native