ATCHIN.
Locality.—The Northern or North-Western parts of Sumatra; conterminal with the Batta country.
Religion.—Mahometan.
Alphabet.—Arabic.
The Atchin stand apart from the other Sumatrans, from the extent to which the Arabs have modified them. The Atchin kingdom, which was powerful when first visited by the Portuguese, was of Arabic foundation, and it was through Atchin that the Mahometanism of the Mahometan Malays was propagated.
THE BATTAS.
Locality.—South of the Atchin country, and nearly covering the northern third of Sumatra. Conterminous with the Atchin and Menangkabaw.
Religion.—Mahometan.
Alphabet.—Of Indian origin.
The Battas are somewhat shorter and fairer, than the other Sumatrans; polygamists; writing, according to Leyden, from the bottom of the page to the top; accredited cannibals.