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•AN ACCOllNTi,;,i.-riP
OF
THE WILD TRIBES
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA , SUMATRA AND A FEW NE1GHB0DRI>G ISLANDS
WITH
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE
AND A JOURNEY
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES OF THE MALAYAN PENINSULA
BY THE R'^ FAVRE
APOSTOLIC MISSIONARY
4- » 1 ,,
PARIS
PRINTED WITH ALTHORIZATION OF THE GREAT CHANCELLOR
AT THE IMPERIAL PRINTING-OFFICE
MDCCCLXV
PRESERVAtlON' ■"'"... ^ ^ • S
COPY,' AOCfeO; •:';■':;: ;/.\. .: ORIGINAL 1t) fie RETAINED
JAN 2.4 1995
AN ACCOUNT
OK
THE WILD TRIBES
INHABITING
THE MALAYAN PENINSULA,
SUMATRA AND A FEW NEIGHBOURING ISLANDS.
These wild tribes are divided into tliree principal classes, which are subdivided into many others. The first of these divisions includes the Battas, who are said to inhabit the interior of Sumatra and a few neigh- bouring islands. The second is that of the Semangs, who are found in the forests of v Kedah, Tringanu, Perak and Salangor. Under the third head are comprised many tribes, known under tlie ordinary term of
505993
:*S;*'/:c^nu^q6unt of the wild tribes
Jakuns , which inhabit the south part of the Peninsula from about Salangor on the west coast and Kemaman on the east, and ex- tending nearly as far as Singapore.
All these various wild tribes are ordi- narily classed under the general and ex- pressive appellation of Orang Binua^ which signifies men of the soil; this will be the ex- pression I will use when speaking of these tribes generally and without intending to refer to any one in particular.
ORIGIN OF THE BINUAS.
Several opinions have arisen respecting the origin of the wild tribes, or Orang Bi- nuas ; but these opinions are based only upon conjecture , more or less probable , and until now no certainty, and even no- thing really satisfactory, has been discover-
' p-^^f, orange rrman, person ;'' ^aj, btnita^ rrland, ffcountrv.fl
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 3
ed on the subject. It is more than probable that the residence of the Missionaries, who are now about estabhshing themselves in the Peninsula in order both to civilize and to christianize these wild tribes , will prove a source of some interesting discoveries in different branches of learning, and chiefly in whatever refers to the people to whom we now direct our attention. In the mean time I will, for the solution of the several questions which can be raised on the origin of the Binuas, direct attention to several facts, and whde I will recapitulate the va- rious opinions which have heretofore been offered upon the subject, will finally say what appears to me most probable both from these sources of information and from what I obtained from the Binuas themselves in the numerous sojourns I made amongst them.
The first question which naturally pre- sents itself to our mind on the subject is
li AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
this : Are the Binuas to be considered as the aboriginal inhabitants of the land where they are found, chiefly in the Malayan Pe- ninsula? Such a question will remain a problem for some time yet, and perhaps for ever : nevertheless I must say that many facts seem to prove much that is in favour of an answer in the affirmative.
Among the Binuas whom I have interro- gated on the matter, many answered that the Malays were descendants in great part from them, who were, without any doubt, the first inhabitants of the land.
Many Malays are of the same opinion, and upon it is based the appellation of Orang Binuas , men of the soil, by which the Malays designate the wild tribes.
A fact which is related in the Malayan traditions and history, and quoted by Lieut. Newbold (vol. XI, p. 77), proves much in favour of that opinion.
It is said, cr after Sri Iscander Shah fled
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 5
from Singapore to Malacca in the seventh century of the Hejira, that is in the thir- teenth century of the christian era, a Me- nangkabaw chief, named Tu Puttair, came over to Malacca, attended by a numerous retinue. He ascended the river to Naning where he found no other inhabitants than the Jakuns, and settled at Taba and took for wiie one of the Jakun damsels; an exam- ple speedily followed by his vassels. i^ The tradition says also that this colony gradually increased and spread itself over Sungei Djong, Rumbau, Johole, and other places then inhabited chiefly by aborigines, or Ja- kuns. From whence we may infer, that if the aborigines oi' Binuas (Jakuns) were already spread over so many places, they must have inhabited the Peninsula from a remote pe- riod of time, an infeience which is strength- ened when we consider that the manners and customs of this people must be a great obslacle to a swift increase in the popula-
6 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
tion , and again that the Malays , at that time (in the thirteenth century), had but a short time inhabited the Peninsula, since we are informed by the Sejara Malayu\ that Sin- gapore, so celebrated in Malayan history, as having been the first place of settlement of the early Malay emigrants from Suma- tra , and the origin of the empire of Ma- lacca, received her first colonists only in the twelfth century, when Sang Nila Utama, supposed by Mohammedan historians to have been a descendant of Alexander the Great, settled on the island with a colony of Malays originally from Sumatra, and founded the city of Singapore, A. D. 1 1 60, that is about one hundred years before the arrival of the Tu Puttair at Naning; where the Jakuns, who were then already nume- rous, as well as in the other places before
' ^v!)U kl^, Sejara Malaiju, ff Malay chronicle." This book has-been printed at Singapore . under the di- rection of Abd-Allali ben Abd-el-Kader Mnnschv.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 7
mentioned, seemed to announce colonists of more than one century.
Besides, the Binuas are not Mahomme- dan; but had they come to estabhsh them- selves in the Peninsula subsequently to the Malays, we should expect to find them Ma- hommedan; for it is scarcely credible that at the time when the disciples of Mahomed were sO ardently waging war everywhere, forcing every nation to embrace the Koran, it would have been permitted to the Bi- nuas, and only to the Binuas, who would have been few and feeble, to enjoy the benefit of a free conscience; and that, when we are supposing the Malays already esta- blished there, and consequently having all power to make them faithful disciples to their beloved prophet.
It is also stated by the Binuas, and ad- mittedby the Malays, that before the Malaya n Peninsula had the name of Malacca, it was inhabited by the Binuas. In course of time.
8 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
tlie early Arab trading vessels brought over priests from Arabia, who made a number of converts to Islam : those of the Binuas that declined to abjure the customs of their forefathers, in consequence of the perse- cutions to which they were exposed, fled to the fastnesses of the interior, where they have since continued in a savage state.*
i am therefore inclined to be of the opi- nion which Lieut. Newbold appears to em- brace, and I am induced the more readily to believe that the Binuas , and chiefly the Battas of Sumatra and the Semangs of the north of the Peninsula are the savage people wliom Herodotus has spoken of, as inhabi- tants of the eastern countries of India pro- ducing gold; and I dare say with the same author that it is scarcely possible that the father of history intended to speak of any other Indian people; for he would have spoken of such clearly and fluently; since all tlie other parts of India to the Archipe-
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 9
iago were very well known to that histo- rian, whilst he on the contrary speaks of the trihes he describes, only in rather an obscure style, and as cr having received an account of them from some adventurous traders who having sailed from the shores of the Red sea or the banks of the Euphra- tes, coasting the shore of India to the Ar- chipelago : and who returned to their na- tive lands laden with the gold dust, ivory and spices of the east. The Malayan Penin- sula, the Golden Chersonese of Ptolemy, and Sumatra so rich in gold, camphor, pepper and ivory, would be the first coun- tries producing these tempting articles of commerce that fell in their way, and the existence of people in whose country they were to be found, could not remain long a secret to such inquisitive navigators, -n
Besides, the account given by Herodotus of the savages he describes, seems to agree with the name and customs of some of the
10 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
wild tribes who are now the subject of our consideration. He says that amongst them some are called Padda, a term which can be easily converted into Batta; and he men- tions their practice of killing and eating their old relatives, which agrees perfectly with the account given by Sir S. Raffles of the Battas : rrl was informed, says he in his memoirs, that formerly it was usual for the people to eat their parents who were too old for work. The old people selected the horizontal branch of a tree, and quietly suspended themselves by their hands, while their children and neighbours forming a circle danced round them, crying out when the fruit is ripe, then it will fall. This practice took place during the season of limes, when salt and pepper were plenty, and as soon as the victims became fatigued, and could hold on no longer, they fell down, when all hands cut them up and made a hearty meal of them.Ti [Memoirs, p. 427.)
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 11
I would not found any objection to the admission of this opinion, from the obser- vation that a few centuries after Herodotus the Indian Archipelago was entirely un- known , as in the time of Strabo, Hipparchus and Eratosthenes, who were living in the years 20, 190 and 2'jo before the christian era; because it is certain that on account of the extensive practice of the Hebrews and Tyrians in the art of navigating, the know- ledge of navigation and geography was much more extensive in the time of Hero- dotus and anteriorly, than in the time of Strabo, Hipparchus and Eratosthenes, when the art of navigation was less prac- tised, and had lost much of its activity; so the Peninsula and the Archipelago might be known in the tiuie of Herodotus and forgot- ten in the following centuries. We see in his- tory a similar example in the cape of Good Hope , which was known a long time before Herodotus, since lie liimself relates tliat
12 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
128 years before his birth, that is in the years 610 before the christian era, the He- brews and the Tyrians rounded Africa by order of the king of Egypt, and that they doubled the cape of Good Hope, a road - which was yet known to Eratosthenes , and aftei' that was entirely forgotten, during near 2,000 years; since the maps drawn ac- cording to Hipparchus, Strabo and Ptolemy show a land embracing the Erythrean sea , or the sea of India , meeting on one side with Africa at the Prasum promontory, and on the other with Eastern Asia at Catigara. It was only in 1^97 A. D. that Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese, rediscovered the road from Europe to India round the cape.
According to the preceding considera- tions it may be supposed , without any pre- sumption, that the Binuas are the abori- gines of the land they inhabit , chiefly in the Peninsula (1 will except a small number of them wlio are Hving near Malacca whom I
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 13
will speak of hereafter). But from what branch of the great family of mankind do the Binuas spring? This is a point extre- mely obscure; history says nothing on the subject, and tradition is almost silent.
Lieut. Newbold, from the several op- portunities he had of seeing the Binuas, observed that their general physical ap- pearance, their lineaments, their nomadic habits and a few similarities in customs, point to a Tartar extraction.
Another opinion, adverted to by Sir S. Raffles, says that Java was originally peopled by emigrants coming in vessels from the Red sea; from whence it is infered that these ancient Egyptians might have been the ancestors of the people at present called Binuas.
I will not now attempt to offer any de- cided opinion on the subject as respects the Battas of Sumatra, or the Semangs of Kedah, Tringanu, Perak and Salangor, as
U AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
1 have never seen any of these tribes and have received but very little information about them. I will however here state what I have observed respecting the Jakuns, the third class of Binuas I have mentioned as inhabiting the south part of the Peninsula. Under that name are comprised all the va- rious tribes known under the terms of Oraiig Utan, Orang Bukit, Orang Sungie, Orang Laut, Bayet, Sakkye, Halas, Besi- sik, etc. different names which denote not several kinds of men, but which only point out the places where they are found, or their way of living K
Although these various tribes are similar in many points, as in manners, customs, in their way of living, etc.; in some otlier
' jjy^ t)y ' orang utan, rrman of forests, the wild man. 51 c>^ ^)^^' orang bukit, rrman of mountains, mountaineer. J? ^^y^ ^)3^' ^'"^^W ^^''^g^y > f^man of ri- ver, n i^.^ '>..A , orang laut, frnian of the sea, seafar- ing people. 71 — o>^^' rayet, rr subjects. « ,J^^' ^^~
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 15
respects they seem to announce a different origin; and possibly I should not be mis- taken were I do divide them into three sub- divisions. Those who are living near to Malacca, those who are found in the Jo- hore territory, and those who are spread over Johore, Rumbow, Sungie Ujong, Jel- labu and the neighbouring places.
Under the first head I will comprise those I visited, near Reim, at Ayer Baro, Gassing, Commendar, Bukit Singgi; on the river of Muar, near Pankalang kota, at Poghalay, Sagil, Lemon, Segamon, a few families in the small river of Pago and several other scattered individuals.
Amongst these tribes, who in number amount altogether to about three hundred persons only, I found a tradition which
key, ffa dependant. ^^ ^jJU, halas, from the Javanese, iun(nj)(Ki/f\, halas, rra forest ;n orang halas, orang utan. ^^yM^c^ ^ hisisik, from the Javanese, (cnojiZifKriji , hesisik, crditt;?? orang hesisik , ff dirty people. »
10 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
would make them to be descendants of Portuguese, and to which the following relates.
A few months after my arrival here, an inhabitant of Malacca, in order to satisfy my curiosity, brought to me two of these Jakuns, as a specimen of the race; it was not without considerable difficulty that he could induce these children of nature to accompany him to the civilised town, being much more delighted with the rude aspect of their thick jungle, than with the exten- sive view of our open places; but after several promises they took their way to Malacca; and recollecting a tradition they received, as they say, from their forefathers they asked that when arrived at the town , they should be allowed to look at the like- ness of their ancestors, which would be found at the upper part of the door of the fortress. These people when questioned be- fore me declared the same. And in fact,
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 17
upon the old gate wliicli remains until this day as a remembrance of the ancient fort, are seen sculptured figures representing a king and a queen of Portugal.
Many others whom I questioned on the same subject assured me that they were descendants of orang pi]ti\ that is, of Eu- I'opeans.
Several persons have related to me that a report exists that at different times des- cendants of Europeans, after having com- mitted crimes, had fled into the interior of the Peninsula and established themselves there, in order to avoid the punishment of the laws.
Besides I remarked that these Jakuns whom I speak of now, have the general physical appearance, the lineaments, and chiefly the form and the colour of the body entirely similar to those of the common
' ^j3 , puteh, (Tvvhito;Ti orang pulcli, fr while !nen. Europeans, r
18 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
and low class amongst the Portuguese of Malacca.
A small number of Portuguese words they use would also seem further to direct our attention to that opinion, so that it would not very possibly be far from the truth, to call them the descendants of Por- tuguese, at least by their fathers side, who, in imitation of Tu Puttair, may have taken to themselves wives from among the Jekun damsels.
The second class of Jakuns , that is , those of Joliore, are more numerous than those of the preceding and are a finer race of men; to whom I will apply what Lieut. New- bold says of the Jakuns in general, that their physiognomy, their lineaments, etc. point to a Tartar extraction. I had during my stay in China several opportunities of examining the Tartar soldiers of the ce- lestial empire, and when 1 compare tliem with those Jakuns I can scarcely see any
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 19
difl'erence; but it is chiefly in the appear- ance of the eves and in the nose that I found the resemblance perfect. So I see no objection, until further information or dis- covery, to coinciding with the opinion of Lieut. Newbold upon this point. But though this may be the case for almost the whole of them, 1 must observe nevertheless that a few of them form an exception to tliis rule, and bear the Arab stamp. Such were, amongst others, two individuals I found on the extremity of tlie Banut river, who might pass as two of the finest Arabs. One of them, the son of a chief, is of about the same age and the perfect likeness of the present sultan of Johore, Tuanku Alii, who is one of the finest Arab descendants I have seen in the Straits.
The third class of Jakuns, those of the Menangkabaw states, seem to present the greatest difficulty in an inquiry as to their origin. How can they be considered as of
20 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
Tartar extraction? Ail the Tartars 1 have seen , were tali , at least as tail as tlie middle sized European, and many of then were taller; with expressive eyes, and a nose which did not recede at the upper part; the facial angle also was apparently much the same as that of Europeans. But on the contrary, the Jakuns of the Menangkabaw states are very short; their eyes, though ex- pressive, are not so much so as those of the Tartars; the nose receded at the upper part, and with the facial angle extremely acute.
The people to whom these Jakuns bear the most resemblance are Malays of the Menangkabaw states ^ But we cannot infer
' The name Menangkabaw is said to be derived from the words, ixj>-, menang , signifying ffto win,'i and ka- hau, for ^jySTkarhau, rra buffalo ^^ : from the story of an engagement between a small young buffalo and a strong old one. in which the former is said (,o have acquired a complete victory.
INHABITING THK MALAYAN PENINSULA. 21
from that, that they descend from these Malays; as we know by history and tradi- tion that they were in the Peninsula before them, and that the Menangkabaw Malays descend from Jakunsby their mothers side, as we have seen when speaking of the ai - rival of Tu Puttair; which explains suffi- ciently the resemblance we perceive in tlie Malays to the Jakuns.
It is really very difficult to discover what occured many centuries ago among a peo- ple so entirely ignorant that each indivi- dual knows scarcely what occured during the life of liis own father; and where there is no writing or. any memorial to record the facts of the time past.
In such an incertitude, I will beware to combat any opinion ; but I will say, at least, that if we consider these Jakuns as descen- dants of Tartars, we must admit too, that they are much degenerated.
When Dr. Ivan, physician to the French
3.
22 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
Embassy to China, passed by Malacca in i845, 1 intended to show to him the skulls of some dead Jakuns, as I knew his pecu- liar knowledge in natural history, and as he has collected skulls of very numerous civilised nations and wild tribes. I doubted not that the inspection of the Jakuns skull would have enabled him to say from what branch of mankind they spring, or at least to give satisfactory probabilities on that sub- ject; but the difficulty of procuring such a specimen prevented me from a means of information, from which I had hoped much light might have been thrown upon the subject.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND CONSTITUTION.
There is a remarkable difTerence in the physical appearance of the several classes of Jakuns. Those of Malacca are generally as tall as the common run of Europeans; they are more dark than any other of the
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 23
wild tribes that fell under my inspection ; and in which respect I do not see much difl'erence between them and the more dark of the Indo-Portuguese of Malacca. I have already said that I have generally found a peculiar resemblance between these two classes of men; this agreement is princi- pally to be observed in the conformation of the arms and of the legs, and in the features of the face; but it is in the lengtli and in the developement of the bones that the analogy is the most perfect. I much de- sire to examine this fact by anatomical com- parison; but the difficulty to find subjects and various peculiar reasons have until now prevented me. I will observe nevertheless that though this is the case as respects the greater part of them , it is not without its exceptions; but as we examine here the conformation of a people, we must take that of the great bulk of its individuals , and consider that of the others, as excep-
24 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
tive occurences, although pretty numerous. I will remark too that many of these Ja- kuES differ from the Indo-Portuguese of Malacca in the frizled look of the hair.
The Jakuns of Joliore are a fine race of men; many of them are taller than those of Malacca; the face also expressive and well characterised, and the expression of the eyes in many of them is a little severe; r have already observed that their nose does not recede at the upper part, neither is it so flat or so broad at its base, as this feature in the Chinese, Cochin-Chinese and pure Malay. I have found several of them with hawked or aquiline noses, which put me in mind of the faces I have seen in Europe; so were thus, amongst others, two sons of a great Panghulu Batin ^ who lives at the extremity of the Johore river. I re- marked also some beautiful children and
•' J ^^i3 , pangulu , ra chief.'' ,>jL, haiin^ rra
tittle.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 25
many good looking young men. I have not met any of them with corporeal defects ; and the floridness and the regularity of the features in a few old persons were a witness tliat their life had been passed without in- firmity as well as without anxious care. The men are healthy, but generally thin; the women on tlie contrary are plump, and though healthy too are not particularly stout.
The third class of Jakuns, those of tlie Menangkabaw states, are very short; their physiognomy is low , and seems to announce great simplicity; many of tliem are ugly and badly made, indicating a degenerated race ; they have the inferior part of the nose depressed, though not flat; and the two wrinkles so remarkable in many Malays, chiefly of low birth, cutting the forehead perpendicularly and terminating on the both sides of the nose. Their mouth is pretty well; for, tliough their lips project a little,
L
26 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
yet they are generally well formed. I have already observed that this class of Jakuns bears a great resemblance to the Malay, or at least to many of the Malays.
I must here observe that the description which I am now giving of the physical ap- pearance of these different classes of Jakuns only applies to the greater number of those who compose these several classes; for I have never seen any nation presenting so great a variety in physiognomy. It would be very difficult to characterize the variety of features I have seen amongst them; se- veral of them put me in mind of some of the Tagals or natives of the Philippines I have observed at Manila; many others ap- peared to me to have the likeness of Spa- niards of my acquaintance; whilst others have the hair and features approaching to that of the Caffree.
The constitution of the Jakuns is gene- rally strong, and the habit in which they
I
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 27
live of being deprived of so many things which by our civilised manners are become for us so many necessities, renders them able to undertake long journies with but a slender stock of provisions, and to keep themselves healthy and strong upon what would be scarcely sufficient for us to live : and thus to bear hunger and thirst for a long time, walking and carrying heavy loads, certainly in that respect their con- formation is superior to ours, even when living in Europe. Their nervous system is strong, and their bodies are very muscular. I have seen some who though very thin were nevertheless unusually muscular. This I suppose may account for their perspiring much less than we do. That thev do not perspire is fortunate for any European who has occasion to be in frequent communica- tion with them; for when they perspire their bodies exhale a strong and fetid odour like that of a wild beast, and probably
28 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
from a want of attention to dean their bo- dies at proper times; this bad smell is also perceived even when they do not perspire, but then much less so; and not to an ex- tent to incommode any except the more delicate. The hair of the Jakuns is black, ordinarily frizled, but very different from the crisp hair of the Gaffree. Some of them leave the whole to grow , and turn it round the head, as the Cochin-Chinese; others, as many of those of Malacca , cut theirs en- tirely; others, chiefly of the Menangkabaw states and of Johore, shave the head, leav- ing it only at the crown above three in- ches in diameter where they never cut it, the same as the Chinese; and to provent this head or hair from being hooked by the branches of trees in their silvan habitations, they tie it up in the form of a top knot. They have scarcely any beard, and many of them have none at all. The women leave their hair to grow, and then tie it up in
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 29
tlie same way as the Malay women; but as they have but little occasion to care much for appearance, it will be easily imagined that they are not very particular in this respect.
I was told that in the forests of Pahang are found numerous tribes of Jakuns who are as white as Europeans ; that they are small, but very good looking, and the Ma- lays are very fond of catcliing them. For this purpose tliey form a party and beat the forest in order to catch these poor crea- tures, just as a troop of European hunters pursue fallow deers. When they succeed in their chase they take them to Pahang or to Siam, where, on account of their white- ness and comeliness, they sell them very dear. Other persons who have also seen this species of Jakuns tell me that they are not as white as Europeans, but that they approacli more to the colour of the Chi- nese, whicli is tlie most probable.
30 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES, KNOWLEDGE.
Both the intellectual faculties of the Ja- kuns and the knowledge they evince are very limited; the reason of which is, I think, not the defect of the faculties them- selves, so much as really the want of means to develope their intelligence. They are in- deed very ignorant, hut they are also cer- tainly ahle of acquirement; they are en- dowed with a sound mind, a right judgment, and a good memory. I have never found among them any either insane or idiotical; all I have seen were more or less intelli- gent, and I always found their intellectual faculties in a sound state, corresponding to the common and ordinary, rules of na- ture. I doubt not but that if thev were to receive the same care that is given to Eu- ropean children they would become equally intelligent, and possibly more susceptible of a good education than a great part of
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 31
the natives of India. If the Missions which are now to be established among them succeed, they will clear up these conjectu- res. A great part of the Jakuns know and acknowledge the existence of a supreme Being; they call him by the Malay name Tuhan Allah\ the Lord God. Many of those of Johore know and acknowledge too the truth of a punishment for the man who commits sin; some of them acknowledge that punishment in a general way, but by what means it is to be executed, they do not know; some others, but few, declared to me openly that after death, sinners will be thrown into the fire of hell, but they do not know any reward for good men and good works. Those of the Menangkabaw states, probably on account of their more frequent communications with the Malays, are more learned in divinity; some of them
«d]!
o-V'
32 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
spoke to me of God as the creator of every thing, of Adam, as the first man, of Abra- liam, Moses, David, Solomon, but in a very confused way. I have not found amongst them any knowledge of Christ nor of the Christian religion ; but I was sur- prised that, having given on one occasion an instruction of the Catechism to some of them, and upon asking them again, *they answered correctly to a good number of my questions. The more learned of them are those who are called Pawang; I will speak of them in one of the next articles. The most ignorant in religious matters are those of Malacca. A subject of surprise is that though many of them acknowledge the existence of a God, of a creator, they have not amongst them a single i-eligious prac- tice, and not only they do not practice ex- terior forms of worship, but from inquiries from them I find that they have not the slightest feeling either of thankfulness or of
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 33
love for the Being they call their creator. All their knowledge in religion is merely theoretical. They do not worship the sun nor the moon nor any idol; what Lieut. Newbold said on that matter must be un- derstood of some other tribes. The know- ledge of the Jakuns in the art of physic is very confined; they use very little medici- nes, and those of them who are sick, are almost without assistance, and the sickness is ordinarily abandoned to the ordinary course of nature. Notwithstanding the Ma- lays consider them as clever physicians, and in their stupidity they believe them- selves very fortunate when, with money or by giving them clothes, they succeed in ob- taining from these poor people some medi- cal prescriptions. The following is a speci- men of such recipes, probably purloined with great devotion by some superstitious Malay; it is cited by Lieut. Newbold. crA person with sore eyes must use a coHy-
4.
34 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
rium of the infusion of Niet-Niet leaves for four days; for diarrhoea, the decoction of the root of kayu-yet and kayu-panamas; for sciatica, powdered sabtal-wood in water, rubbed on the loins; for sores, the wood kumbing. If the head be affected, it must be washed witli a decoction of Lawang- wood; if the chest, the patient should drink a decoction of kayu-ticar leaves, -n Some of the Jakuns, but few, and only those who are styled Pawangs , pretend to some know- ledge in physic, as well as in the secrets of nature; but their pretensions on that point are not so great as it is ordinarily reported; and in fact they are very little more clever than the others. The Jakuns have some knowledge of music; they have several songs which they received from their ancestors, or which they make them- selves, only according to the agreement of the ear, for they have not the slightest idea of the musical notation; their songs are
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 35
generally rude, and agree perfectly with the austere aspect of their habitation; J have heard them too singing in a melan- choly tone, chiefly during the night. Their songs, though rude , are not altogether disa- greeable to European ears, provided they be not too delicate. I was much surprised to remark that though they are entirely ignorant of our European music, which they have never heard, yet in great part of their songs, they proceed by thirds and by fifths assuredly without being aware of it, but only guided by their ear; which confirms the opinion of our European musicians who afllrni that the third, the fifth and the oc- tave are found in nature itself; and what I myself have many times observed in any sound,, principally in that of a bell, that there are three sounds which are at once to be distinguished with some attention, viz., the diapason, the third and the fifth. Some authors speak of a kind of violin and
36 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
of a rude flute used by the Jakuns. 1 have never seen these instruments, but I know that they use two kmds of drum like those of the Malays. The Jakuns know the Eu- ropeans by report only, the greater num- ber of them having never seen any Euro- pean. On account of the great number of Chinese emigrants who inhabit the Penin- sula, few of them are unaware of the exis- tence of China ; they are told too of Bengal , of Sumatra and of Siam; these are the boundaries of their knowledge in geogra- phy. Their science in astronomy is yet more limited; they see the sun rise and set every day, the moon sometimes ap- pear, sometimes not; they use their light Avhen present, they sleep when it is dark; but they have never noticed or inquired about the course of the stars ; they scarcely know how many days are in the duration of a moon, and how many moons in the year. Thev are not at all aware of their age,
I
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 37
nor of that of their children; sucli obser- vations or remarks appear to them mere superfluities as being not required in their way of living. An ignorance of such matters amongst savages is not surprising when I mention that the Malays themselves who live in the interior of the Peninsula are not aware of all these things, and that on these subjects many of them are no better in- formed than Jakuns. A thing in which the Jakuns (only those of the Menangkabaw states) are truly skilled is the art of using the sumpitan and poisoned arrows, as I will have occasion to mention when speak- ing of their weapons. They have no know- ledge of writing nor do they make use of any symbolical signs. The language spoken by the three classes of Jakuns I describe is not entirely the same, but the difTerence is not considerable, and I think that it con- sists in the intonation and the pronuncia- tion, but chiefly in the inflection upon the
38 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
termination, more than in the words them- selves, which are Ihe same except a very small number. The Malays say tliat the Ja- tuns speak a low Malayan language; but, in my opinion, I would think on the con- trary that they speak the purely Malayan, without any mixture of Indostanee or Ara- bic : I will say nevertheless that those of them who are much in communication with Malays have admitted many words of these two last languages and even some of the Portuguese. They have also adopted several circumlocutions and expressions used in the Malayan language of courtesy, as for instance, in addressing, the terms Abang. Kaka^; but I remarked that they use such appellations and many other ex- pressions of courtesy, received in Malay, only when they are in the presence of Ma-
' ijf, abang, «? elder brother. a (J^. kaka, rr elder sisler,fl an expression of politeness when speaking to some elder person.
INHABITING THK MALAYAN PENINSULA. 39
lays. The following answer given by the chiefs of the Jakuns of the Menangkabaw vstates, who were summoned to the pre- sence of king Mahomed Shah, may be con- sidered as a specimen of their style and literature as well as explanatory of their manners and customs : cr We w ish to return to our old customs, to ascend the lofty mountain, to dive into the earth's deep ca- verns, to traverse the boundless forest, to repose , with our head pillowed on the knot- ted trunk of the Durian tree, and curtained by Russam leaves. To wear garments made from the leaves of the Lumbah or Terap tree, and a head-dress of Bajah leaves. Where tlie Meranti trees join their lofty branches, where the kompas links its knots, there we love to sojourn. Our weapons are the tamiang (or sumpitan), and the quiver of arrows imbued in the gum of the deadly Telak. The fluid most delicious to us is the limpid water that lodges in the hollow of
40 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
trees, where the branches unite with the trunk; and our food consists of the tender shoots of the fragrant Jematong, and the delicate flesh of the bounding deer, n
The Jakuns are entirely ignorant of the first principles of mathematics, nor do they know the simpilest rules of arithmetic. The mathematical instrument wliicli probably gave origin to the decimal calculation, the natural indigitation, is adopted by tliem in ordinary use.
POPULATION AND PLACES OF HABITATION.
All those persons who have spoken to me of the population of the Jakuns were much mistaken. The desire of finding ex- traordinary things, and the natural pro- pensity to fancy the marvellous, which are found in every nation, and chiefly amongst the ignorant, are in their apogee in the imagination of Indian nations, who, gene- rally speaking, are very uninformed, and
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. h\
this was probably the first cause which gave rise to the many hyperboHcal stories which have been spread abroad about the number of the Jakuns; as well as about their manners and customs. In fact it is very diilicult to ascertain the true number of the Jakuns, because part of them are a nomade people, so that the same family, the same individuals appear to-day in one place, and next week, two or three miles farther; next month, they will remove again, to roam the forest or to come to their first habitation; so that those who perceive them here and there imagine that these are fresh persons, and in their cal- culation they count two or three times the same. The number of Jakuns reported to me was always much more considerable than the number I found upon visiting the places themselves. As I have not visited the entire Peninsula, it is yet difficult for me to ascertain the amount of these inhabitants
A2 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
of the Jungle. I will however here state what appears to me to be an approxima- tion to the truth.
The number of the Jakuns whose exis- tence is known to me with certainty, that is, those I myself visited, and who fell un- der my immediate inspection, amount to no more than one thousand. Those I know only by information would amount, I sup- pose, to about three or four thousand; the whole to five thousand at the most. They are distributed in the following way. Those I termed Jakuns of Malacca are the least in number, and cannot be more than three hundred, about one half of whom I have seen in the following places; viz. near Reim and Ayer Panas, at Ayer Baru, Gas- sim, Kommender, Bukit Singhi; in the ri- ver of Muar near Pankalang Kota , at Po- ghalay, Sagil, Segamon, Lemon, Jawee; in the small river of Pago, and in that of Ring. The remainder are to be found, at
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 43
Bukit More, Ayer Tross, Bukit Gadong, Tanka, and it is reported there are a good number at Segamet. Those I styled Jakuns of Johore, because they inhabit that part of the Peninsula which is under the sway of the sultan of Johore, cannot amount to more than one thousand, scattered over that large extent of country; from two to three hundred fell under my inspection at the following places; at the extremity of the Johore river, where there are several hundred of them living under a Panghulu Batin, duly appointed by the late sultan of Johore, and by the present Tammun- gong of Singapore; at a place entirely in the interior of the Peninsula called Kem- bao, and at the extremity of the Banut river; the others I have not seen are to be found at Pontian , Ayo, Klambo , on the river of Batu Pahat, the Bio Formosa of the Por- tuguese, and in several other places. Those I called Jakuns of the Menangkabaw sta-
Uh AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
tes, 1 suppose to amount to about three thousand; I have seen only a few hundred of them, at Sungie Ujong, where they are at least five hundred, at Jellabu, at Rum- bow and at Johole, where they are in small number; and on the Company's territory at Rombia, where there are now one hun- dred. Those I have not visited are to be found at Sriminanti, Ulu Muar, Jclley, Lingi, Langhat, Ulu Coleng and in the whole of the mountainous chain running down the middle of the Peninsula until Kedah. 1 am induced to believe that those who are said to inhabit the forest of Pa- hang are an extension of those of the Me- nangkabaw states, except perhaps those who are Avhite whom I have already men- tioned. During the last few months many families of the Jakuns of Sungie Ujong have come into the Company's territories. From what I can learn the following seems to be the cause of that emigration. About the
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 45
niontli of Mai (18/17), some Jakuns hav- ing killed several elephants took the li- berty to sell the ivory tusks and to apply the price of them to their private use; which the Malay chief of that place pre- tended to be a violation of his rights, and consequently sent armed Malays with or- ders to kill these poor people; as such a crime could only be atoned for by the death of tlie guilty parties; seven persons were killed and wounded, and many others fled to difl'erent places, and some came over to the territory of Malacca, where they find more security and protection, and es- tablished themselves at Rombia, Malacca Pinda, Bukit Berdam. The places more commonly frequented by the Jakuns are the neighbourhood of mountains and the borders of rivers. I had been told that many lived around the base of mount Ophir ; and possibly this was so a few years ago; but in the month of June of the present
A6 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
year (1847), I visited the place, and made a circuit of mount Ophir, and of the neigh- bouring mountains, without observing any of them; I found indeed several places where formerly had been villages, and also many ruined habitations. I likewise ob- served several places which had been for- merly cultivated by the Malays and pos- sibly also frequented by the Jakuns; but they were then entirely deserted, and al- ready covered with Jungle. A few Chinese who employ themselves in extracting the gold from the mines, are the sole remains of a large population of Malay cultivators and of Chinese miners both of whom a few years ago were located at the gold mines, which notwithstanding do not yet appear to be exhausted. This is the effect of the misrule of Malay countries. The melan- choly sight of such places , rich both in mi- nes and vegetation, excites a regret that they are not under a wiser government.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. hi HABITATIONS.
Before I had myself visited the Jakuns, report induced me to consider them to be as savage as wild beasts, and sleeping like birds on the branches of trees. Even now when I question the Malays on the subject, some of them answer the same ; but this is far from the truth : there is no Jakun with- out some dwelling, more or less well or- dered. Some of them indeed have liabita- tions which can scarcely be called houses; but these are very few; and for the most part they have houses. The Jakuns of Jo- hore build houses in the Malay way, some of which are fine buildings. I found several which were much more comfortable than any Malay house 1 have seen in the inte- rior of Johore : such are the houses of the Panghulu Batin on the river of Johore , and that of a Jakun chief on the river of Ba- nut; these two houses were divided into
48 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
several rooms, some of which were for the private accommodation of the Jakim ladies of the family; the furniture consisted of some pots, plates, several other vessels and a good quantity of mats. Other houses were much more common, but yet pretty comfortable, clean, and always divided into two or three rooms at least, and furnished with a frying pan of iron to cook rice, a few shells of coco-nut to keep water, and baskets used to bring food. All those houses are raised about six feet from the ground, and are entered by a ladder like the Malay houses.
The best houses of the Menangkabaw Jakuns are about the same as the more simple and common houses of the Jakuns of Johore; the others are as described by Lieutenant Newbold crrude edifices on the top of four higli wooden poles; thus elevat- ed for fear of tigers, and entered by means of a long ladder, and presenting, viewed
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. h9
through certam holes which serve as doors, no very satisfactory appearance to the uni- nitiated. The roofs are often thatched with Chucho leaves. There is but one room, in which the whole family is huddled together with dogs and the bodies of the animals they catch. The huts are so made as to be moveable at a moment's warning; they are ordinarily situated on the steep side of some forest clad hill , or in some sequestered dale , remote from any frequented road or foot- path, and with little plantations of yams, plantains and maize; some have also fields of rice about them. The bones and hair of the animals whose flesh the inmates of these scattered dwellings feed upon strew the ground near them , while numbers of dogs generally of a ligh thrown colour give timely notice of the approach of strangers, v The Jakuns of Malacca whom I charac- terised as the most ignorant, are also the poorest and most miserable; their best
50 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
houses are about the same as the worst of those of the Menangkabaw, and I found several families who lived without having any house at all. These gather them- selves together to the number of five or six families, they choose a place in the thick- est of the forest, and there they clear a circle of about thirty feet in diameter; having cleared this space they surround it with the branches of the trees they have just cut; to this they join other thorny branches they collect from other parts, and so make a sort of bulwark against tigers, bears and panthers, which are there in good number. Having done that they pro- ceed to establish their dwelling in this en- closure, in the following way : each family works to construct what will serve for a bed during the night, a seat in the day time, a table for the repast, and a dwelling or shelter in bad weather; it consists of about fifteen or twenty sticks of six feet long.
INHABITING THE xMALAYAN PENINSULA. 51
laid one beside the other, supported at the two extremities by two other transverse sticks which are set upon four wooden posts; the whole being about two feet in height, four feet broad and six feet long. One dozen Chucho leaves gathered by their ends, tied at the head of the bed, extend themselves and cover it until the other ex- tremity : these beds are placed around the enclosure, in such a way that when all the persons are sleeping every one has his feet towards the centre of the habitation which is left vacant, to be used as a cook room, or for any otherpurpose.
DRESS.
The clothes of the Jakuns (when they use any) are ordinarily the same as those used by the Malays, but poor, miserable, and above all very unclean ; many of them use cloths without washing, from the day they receive or buy them, until they become
52 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
rotten by use and dirt; and they are obli- ged to throw them away. If some vermin are found, which is often the case, prin- cipally upon the women who are more dressed, they are immediatly eaten with de- light as in Gochin-Ghina. If many of them are badly dressed, and some nearly naked, it is more from a want of clothes than in accordance to their own wishes, chiefly amongst women ; for all desire to be clo- thed, and the most agreeable presents which can be ofl'ered to them are some trowsers, sarongs, bajus, or some hand- kerchiefs to put round their head, as is the Malay fashion. Those of them who go ha- bitually nearly naked, do not appear so be- fore strangers, excepting when they have no clothes. The Jakuns of Johore, who are superior to the others in many respects, as can be inferred from what has been said, are also the best dressed; their women are mucli the same as Malav women as to dress,
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 53
and tlie order of llieir appearance; having also a great number of rings on their fin- gers, some of which are crystal, some of copper and some of tin, but also a good many of sdver; they take a peculiar plea- sure in these ornaments, as well as in sil- ver bracelets. The men have at least Irow- sers, a small bajn and an handkerchief for the head. Tlie Jakuns of tlie Menangkabaw states liave tlje same dress as is used by the Jakuns of Johore, and the women the same ornaments, but are not so well cloth- ed; many of them go nearly naked, at least near their houses; and those Avho use clothes, show often an embarrassment which proves tliat they are not accustomed to tlieir use. The Jakuns of Malacca are badly dressed, many of the women have only a sarong, and, if tliey are married, a ring, the necessary present of the husband be- fore he marries them. The greater part of the mei} have nothing but a strip of the
54 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
fibrous bark of the Terap tree, beaten into a sort of doth of a reddish brown colour, called a sabaring, round their loins; part of this conies down in front, is drawn bet- ween the legs and fastened behind.
OCCUPATION.
Like all Indian nations the Jakuns have a propensity to idleness; but to be exact in this account, and just towards them, I must say that they are not so lazy as either the Malays or Hindoos. Their first and princi- pal occupation is the chase; they have a great predilection for this exercise, it being the first means by which they feed them- selves and their families; and from having been brought up in that habit, in which the greater part of their life is spent, they should be skilful hunters, and which in fact they are, both in their way and in the man- ner of using their weapons, as I will say liereafter. When there is no more food at
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 55
home, the husband leaves home, beats the forest, and sometimes returns with large pieces of venison, but sometimes with no- thing; and on such days they go to sleep without supper. This is the ordinary even- ing work, when the sun is near setting. In the day time they remain at home , where they prepare arrows and the weapons, the matter with which they poison their arrows; they cook and eat the animals caught the day before, and build or repair their hou- ses, etc. Many of them cultivate plantains, yams, which they call klades, and several other vegetables. I have seen ^mongst the Jakuns of Johore some who had large fields of rice : they cultivate tliis grain in the fol- lowing way : they choose in tlie forest a place where the ground appears to be fa- vorable for such a purpose, they cut all the trees, in a space more or less large ac- cording to the number of persons and the quantity of rice they intend to plant; they
56 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
put fire, and burn ali these trees that are fallen pell-mell; when the branches are burnt the fire ceases, and some time after the rice is planted, it grows up amongst all the trunks of the fallen trees, and other larger branches whicli were not destroyed by fire : after the harvest tlie place is aban- doned , and another is selected for the next year.
In several places in the interior of the forest are found durian trees, always in a body together to the number of about ten or twelve trees : such places are for the Jakuns an jbject of great attention, and a matter of work. They cut with great care all the otiier trees which surround the dii- rians, that these by receiving more air may grow up more easily, and give finer and greater quantity of fruit; they build there a small house of whicli I will hereafter speak , and they then return to their ordinary ha- bitation, whicli is sometimes distant from
.^.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 57
such places one or two days journey. The Jakuns who have no taste for cultivating rice, or who are not acquainted with the manner of doing so, are generally very mi- serable; they are then obliged to look to the Malays, to provide for their livelihood : they traverse the Jungle all the day seek- ing after ratan, dammar, garu wood, and several other articles of commerce; the next morning, they go to some Malay house, where they dispose of the produce of their search, receiving in return a small quan- tity of rice, sometimes scarcely sufficient to support their family for that very day; after that they return to the same thing for the purpose of procuring in like manner food for the next day; and so on. Where the Chinese work in the tin mines, they employ sometimes Jakuns as workmen. I am told that at some place in Jellabu, Jakuns work the mines by themselves, and bring the tin to Paliang, where they sell it. In some
58 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
other places Malays employ Jakuns to cut jungle where they mtend to cultivate, and in several other works; hut there is a ge- neral complaint on the side of the Jakuns, who say that the Malays are not just to- wards them, and recompense not properly their labour. The business of the Jakuns women is to take care of the children , to cook and prepare the food, and to go about the forest to look for fruits and vegetables.
FOOD.
After what has already been said of the Jakuns, it can be easily understood that they have no regular diet. They like good food, but when they are deprived of it, they eat with satisfaction any other, even that which vould be an object of horror for civilised people. They live upon the flesh of every kind of animal, snakes, monkeys, bears, deers, tigers, birds, etc. Yams, plan- tains with the wild fruits, the leaves of
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 59
trees and certain roots furnish the princi- pal part of their ordinary food. Those of them who ciiitivate rice sell a part of it to the Malays, or exchange it for clothes : with the other part they live a few months of the year. They do not dislike the flesh of do- mestic animals, fowls, etc. as it had been alleged ; on the contrary, 1 remarked that they prefer it to that of wild animals. I have seen several of their houses where there was a good quantity of fowls. Sometimes they cook the flesh before they eat it, but at other times they eat it raw ; some me- rely put the animal upon the fire till tlie hairs are singed, then they consider it as cooked. I have seen some large monkeys which, after having been thus cooked, were dished up upon a kind of mat as a meal to some seven or eight persons, who speedily devoured the whole in a few minutes, leav- ing only the skeleton. In eating they use no dish ; an iron frying-pan serves for cook-
60 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
iiig, plantain leaves serve as plates, and some coco-nut shells form their usual drink- ing cups. Some Jakuns refuse to eat the flesh of elephants, under the pretext that it would occasion sickness, but many others are not so scrupulous. When an elephant is killed either by themselves or by the Malays, they call together their friends and relatives to partake of the large entertain- ment which is prepared; they then build houses in which to lodge their guests, un- til the animal which furnishes the feast is entirely finished : then every one decamps, and returns to his usual way of living. When the durian season is come, a good number of Jakun families leave their houses, men, women and children repairing to the pla- ces I mentioned before, where are found durian trees. They then again clean the ground in order to find more easily the fruit, wliich falls when ripe, and, dwelling in the small houseof leaves, prepare them-
r
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 61
selves to enjoy the treat which nature pre- sents to them. For six weeks or two months they eat nothing but durians. When the season is over, tlie place is abandoned un- til the next year.
I observed that one of tlieir most prised dishes is a honey-comb, and let it be said with due respect to the opinion of our Eu- ropean cooks, the time when the honey is in the comb is not amongst these epicures of nature considered the proper moment to take the liive; but thev wait until the small bees are well formed in tlie cells, and a few days before they are ready to fly away the honey-comb is taken Avith great care, and, wrapped up in a plantain leaf, is put upon the fire for a few minutes, and then wax and animals are devoured toge- ther, and considered as an uncommon treat.
The Jakuns chew betel-leaf together with the areca-nut and gambier; but for the want of tlie betel-leaf, they use the leaf of
62 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
a tree called kassi. Tobacco, when it can be I
had, is much used, even by women and children, in chewing and smoking.
WEAPONS.
The Jakuns of Malacca and those of Johore have no other arms than spears and parangs; very few use the sumpitan, and they are entirely unacquainted with the use of poisoned arrows. The Jakuns spears consist in an iron blade of about one foot long, and one inch broad in the middle, attached to a thick rudely worked shaft about five or six feet long, and sharp at the inferior extremity, in order to enter easily into the ground; for before they en- lera house they strike the end of the spear iiito the ground, where it remains until they go away. It is scarcely possible to meet a single Jakun witliout his spear, which is both a stick to walk with , and an olfensive or defensive weapon as the occa-
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 03
sion requires. The parang is an iron biade of about one foot long, and two or three inches broad with a haft hke that of a large knife; they use it to cut trees employed in the building of their houses; and to cut branches to open a passage when jour- neying in the thick jungle : it is also used as a defensive weapon against wild beasts. I know a Jakun who being attacked by a ti- ger, defended hirnseif with a parang (the only weapon he had with him at the time). Nearly half an hour was spent in this sin- gular combat : the Jakun lost an eye and was seriously wounded in the head ; but the royal beast paid the forfeit with its life. The Jakuns of the Menangkabaw states use the parang, the suuipitan with poisoned ar- rows, and a few of them the spear. The sumpitan is a small bamboo of the size of the index finger, from six to ten feet long with a head as large as a fowl egg; this piece of bamboo is inserted until the head
U AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
into a larger one of the same lengths The arrows are very slight slips of wood, the thickness of a knitting-needle, and from eight to ten inches long terminating in a fine point, coated with poison for the space of an inch or so; at the other extremity of the arrow is placed a cone of white wood , cut in such a way that it may just fill the tube of the sumpitan to receive all the im- pulse of the air, and this cone also aids in directing the arrow; this is propelled by collecting air in the luftgs, and strongly emitting it into tlie head of the sumpitan partly inserted into the mouth of the pro- jector. The range, to take proper effect, is about seventy or eiglity feet ; some can reach one hundred and forty or fifty feet; but then there will be little chance of being dangerously wounded.
^ ^^)yj_c_iw, sumpitan f the sumpitan is nlmost iho French sarhacane.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 05 MARRIAGES.
Marriages are ordinarily celebrated about the months of July and August, when fruits are plentiful. The bridegroom frequents for some time the house of his intended, and when he has obtained her consent, he ma- kes a formal demand to the father. Then a day is appointed, and an entertainment is prepared, more or less solemn, according to the means of the two contracting parties, and their rank in the tribe. When the day of the marriage is arrived, the bridegroom repairs to the house of the bride's father, where the whole tribe is assembled. The dowry given by the man to his intended is delivered, and must consist at least of a silver or copper ring, and a few cubits of cloth ; if the man is not poor, a pair of bra- celets. Some other ornaments, and several articles, as of furniture for the iiouse of the new familv, are added. Sometimes the
06 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
woman presents also some gifts to her in- tended. Then the bride is delivered by her father to the bridegroom, and the solem- nity of the wedding begins. Some other states that amongst some tribes there is a dance in the midst of which the bride elect darts off into the forest, followed by the bridegroom. A chase ensues, during which, should the youth fall down, or return un- successful , he is met with the jeers and mer- riments of the whole party, and the match is declared off. This story was related to me a little difl'erently by a European who in- habited Paliang many years. During the banquet a large fire is kindled, all the congregation standing as witnesses; the bride runs round the fire; the bridegroom who must run in the same direction, fol- lows her; if he catches her, the marriage is valid ; if he cannot it is declared off. All the Jakuns I questioned on the point de- clared to me that they were not at all aware
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 67
of that practice; which proves that, if the storv is true, it must be referred to a few tribes only. No marriage is lawful without the consent of the father. Conjugal faith- fulness is much respected amongst the Ja- kuns; so that adultery is punishable by death. It is peculiarly remarkable that the Jakuns, though surrounded by Mahomme- dans and heathens, who all are so much addicted to polygamy, have yet keep mar- riage in the purity and unity of its first in- stitution; it is not allowed to them to keep more than one wife; I met only one who had two, and he was censured and de- spised by the whole tribe. I was much sur- prised to find such a custom amongst these wild tribes; a custom which can scarcelv be found to exist in any but christian nations ; but nevertheless with this dilference, that amongst them a man can divorce his wife and take another. The form of divorcing is that : if the divorce is proposed by the
68 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
husband, lie loses the dowry he has given to the woman; if the woman asks the di- vorce, she must return the dowry she re- ceived. The children follow tlie father or the mother according to their wishes; if they have not yet the use of reason, they follow the mother.
BIRTH.
No assistance is ordinarily given to lying- in women; their physicians or Pawangs are not permitted to appear in such circum- stances, and midwives are not known amongst them. It is reported that, in seve- ral tribes, the childreii , as soon as born, are carried to the nearest rivulet, where tliey are washed, then brouglit back to the house, where a fire is kindled, incense of kamunian wood thrown upon it, and the child then passed over it several times. We know from history that the practice of pass- ing children over fire was in all times
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 69
much practised amongst heathen nations, and that it is even now practised in China and other places. A few days after the birth of the child, the father gives him a name, which is ordinarily the name of some tree, fruit or colour.
SICKNESS.
I have already said that the Jakuns were not much subject to sickness; notwithstand- ing, on account of want of pro]f>er care, few of them reach to an advanced age. Tlie sick- ness of which they have the greatest dread, and from which they suffer most, is the small-pox. Is any one attacked by it, im- mediately he is entirely abandoned; pa- rents, relations, friends and neighbours fly away, and the poor sick man , thus left with- out any assistance, of course dies misera- bly. In their other sicknesses, they are not so entirely uncared for; some physic, con- sisting ordinarily of an infusion or decoc-
7-
k
70 AN ACCOUNT OF THK WILD TRIBES
tion of wild plants, is given according to the rude prescription of a Pawang, but ordinarily without any success. They mostly die of fever caused by the dampness and insalubrity of the places they inhabit; like the people of India , they are generally very subject to ulcers.* Many of them have also disgusting skin diseases, but ordinarily not dangerous. I think that, if the Missionaries succeed in gathering the Jakuns into villages as they intend to do, and in making their habitations more salubrious, ulcers amongst them will be certainly much more scarce; and I hope the cure of their skin diseases would not present great difficulty. A small provision of quinine or some other reme- dies for fever would also doubtless preserve the life of manv.
FUNERALS.
The preparations they make for their funerals are few and simple. If the decease
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 71
took place before noon, the body is buried the same day; if after noon, the funeral is defered until next day. The corpse is wash- ed, wrapped in some cloth, and interred, by relations and neighbours, in a grave about four or five cubits deep. The sum- pitan, quiver of arrows, knife, etc. of the deceased are buried with him; along with some rice, water and tobacco. I questioned them respecting the reason of burying such things with the deceased, but I could not obtain any answer except that this was the custom practised by their ancestors and followed by them. This practice is not pe- culiar to the Jakuns; we know from history that many of the ancient people did so, and that such a custom is even yet followed amongst some Tartar tribes. Like many other people, the Jakuns consider white as a sacred colour; and it is a peculiar sub- ject of comfort, when, in their last sickness, they can procure for tliemselves some white
72 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
doth, in which to be buried. When too poor to obtain such a consolation, the Te- rap bark supplies the funeral dress. I was told that, amongst the tribes who are near to Pahang, the corpse of the deceased is burnt as is practised amongst the Hindoos and Siamese. Also that the place where a Jakun died is deserted by the others, and the house burnt; but, after having ques- tioned many of them on this last subject, I found it was practised only by a few.
NATURE.
The Jakuns are entirely inoffensive, na- ture having endowed them with an ex- cellent temper; they are generally kind, affable, inchned to gratitude and to be- neficence. Hospitality is much practised amongst them , not only towards other Ja- kuns, but towards any stranger, who should reach their liabitations. I have remarked that all Indian nations are much inclined
INHABITIING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 73
to begging; thus any thing they see that pleases them, they ask of the owner, when they know that there is no means to steal it, and sometimes their demands are so frequent and repeated that they are very importunate. The Jakuns are not so; they differ much in this respect from other In- dians; they are liberal and generous. When I visited them, they very seldom asked me for any thing ; and they never refused what I asked from them; and when after asking I refused to take it, they pressed me to do so. They have very seldom quarrels amongst themselves; their disputes are ordinarily settled by their Batins or chiefs, without fighting or malice. Their laws allow of pu- nishment for several sorts of crimes; but the Batin has seldom occasion to apply them. Candour and honesty, qualities very rare in India, and I dare say in all Asia, are notwithstanding found amongst Jakuns. It is lemarkable that they abhor lying and
k
Ik AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
thieving, not in words as the Malay, but really and m practice. They are never known to steal any thing, not even the most in- significant trifle. Such remarkable qualities induced several persons to make attempts to domesticate them , but such essays have generally ended in the Jakuns disappear- ance on the slightest coercion. Mr. Lewis, Assistant Resident at Penang, related to me that he had for some time a Jakun family in his house; they appeared at first to be very glad of their position , and indeed the remarkable kindness which that gentle- man shows to all inferiors could not fail to please them ; but, having been one day em- ployed in some servile work , they fled away and appeared no more. The reason is that the Jakuns are extremely proud, and will not submit for any length of time to servile offices or to much control. This, if it is a defect, is the only one I have yet remark- ed in them.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 75
The Jakuns, by their nature and their peculiar qualities, offer the most encourag- ing hopes to the Missionaries who will be employed in their amelioration. Few In- dians present such good dispositions to em- brace the Gospel. With the favour of God and the assistance of those who are in a position to concur in the work, there is a vast deal of good to be effected amongst the Jakuns.
LAWS.
Though the Jakuns are generally good and httle inclined to evil, they show not- withstanding, from time to time, thougli seldom, that, as the rest of mankind, they are in natura lapsa, and participants in the wickedness common to all the children of Adam; from whence the necessity of esta- blishing laws amongst them ; but we can say, to their praise, that their laws rather pre- vent disorder than punish it. Their laws are
76 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
not every-where the same; each tribe has its customs and regulations ; I wili state here those I observed to be more generally re- ceived. They are not written; but they can be expressed in the following way.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Each tribe is under an elder termed the Batin, who directs its movements and settles disputes.
Under each Batin are two subordinates, termed Jennang^ and Jurokra^, who assist him in his duties.
A fourth title is that of Pawang, but is more a title of honour than of jurisdiction, and indicates the persons who are gene- rally charged to fulfd the office of physician and that of teacher.
^ p^ , jennang, rr a commander, a deputy, « from the
Javanese word a^ m\ , jenneng , rran lionorary title. »
" Jurohra, from the words '.^: juro, rra chief," and y^, kera, rra monkey ;« literally, ff chief of monkeys."
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 77
The functions of the Batin resemble those appertaining to the Malay Rajahs. The title of Jennang is equivalent to that of the Malay Panghulu, or our police ma- gistrates; and that of Jurokra to that of the men who, in our European govern- ments, are charged to execute the orders proceeding from the police office. There is also a war chief called Panglima.
OF THE ELEVATION OF PERSONS TO THE GOVERNMENT.
After the death of a Batin (or chief of the tribe) , the eldest of his sons will be pre- sented by his nearest relation to the whole collected tribe, and Avill be declared and recognized publicly heir of his father in the Batinship. If the people refuses to declare him Batin, the second son of the late Ba- tin will be presented; if the people refuses this second son and his other brothers, a stranger to the family will be elected ^
' This form of election proves the truth of the priu-
I
78 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
After the death of a Jermang or of a Ju- rokra, the Batin will appoint the eldest son of the deceased to succeed to the office; if the Batin finds the eidest son of the Jate dignitary unfit for the appointment, he will name another of the same family, or, if there is in the family no proper person to fill the office, he will then appoint a stranger to the family.
ciple, that, from the very commeiiceiiient of the social state , the source of all temporal power and jurisdiction is in the will of the people volontarily giving up their liberty, and placing it in hands of persons to whom they are naturally led to look up , and from whom they can receive protection and assistance. In such course of things, as remarks wisely some author, laws must have preceded the knowledge of letters and the other arts of civilized life; and this we accordingly find to be the case, in the oral traditional code Avhich is in force amongst the Jakuns.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 79
OF A PERSON VIOLATING THE RIGHTS TO ANY NEIGHBOUR IN HIS PERSON *.
If a person kills another without a just cause, he shall be put to death.
If a person beats another, he will be beaten in the same way; if he wounds him, he will be wounded in the same way.
If a person insults another, he shall pay a fine.
OF STEALING.
If any person shall steal the property of his neighbour, he* shall return it, and pay a fine to the Batin.
If a person has already stolen several times, the Batin will take all his property.
If it is recognized that a person is in the habit of stealing, he will be killed; because it is not considered possible that a man
' We may remark in this chapter a perfect identity with the punishment of talion, given to llie Jews by the ministry of Moses.
80 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
who is given to such a habit can ever be- come an honest man.
OF MARRIAGE.
No marriage is lawful without the con- sent of the father.
A man cannot have more than one wife at once.
A man divorcing from his wife loses the dowry given to her.
If the divorce comes from the side of the woman, she must return the dowry which she received from the m*an.
Any married person surprised in adul- tery shall be put to death.
If the woman surprised in adultery can prove that she was seduced, she will not be put to death ; but slie will be sent away by her husband, because it is a shame for a Jakun to keep a wife after she lias had commerce with any other man than her lawful husband.
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 81
After divorce, the man and woman can marry again with others.
OF CHILDREN.
A father cannot sell his child, but he can give him to another, provided that the child will consent, whatever may be his age.
If children are left orphans , the nearest relations will bring them up , unless with their consent another person agrees to ful- fd that duty.
OF INHERITANCE.
After the death of parents, the whole of their property will be divided amongst all the children in equal parts.
It is related by different persons that the Jakuns have great influence in the respec- tive Malay states where they are living , and chiefly in the election of Malay Panghulus in theMenangkabaw states. Lieut. Newbold
82 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
too says the same, and confirms it by the following fact. — ff A few years ago the late Panghulu of Sungei Ujong, Klana Leher, died, leaving two nephews, Kawal and Bhair. It is an ancient custom prevalent still in the interior, and, I believe, gene- rally throughout Malayan nations, that, when a chief dies, his successor must be elected on the spot, and before the inter- ment of the corpse (which is not unfre- quently defered through the observance of this usage to a considerable length of time); otherwise the election does not hold good.
vtNow it happened that Kawal was ab- luent at the time of Panghulu Leber's death. The three Sukus and one of the twelve Ba- tins took advantage of Bhair's being on the spot, elected him, and buried the body of the deceased chief. Against this proceeding, the Rajah de Rajah, and the remainder of the elective body, the eleven Batins, pro-
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 83
tested; a war ensued, which terminated in 1828 pretty much as it began. Kawal, however, by virtue of the suffrages of the eleven out of the twelve Batins, and by the support of the Rajah de Rajah, is generally considered the legitimate chief. In Johole, the Batins have a similar influence in the election of the Panghulu. -n
It appears certain that, in former times, the Batins exercised such an influence in the elections of tlie Malay chief; but we must say that they have at the present time lost a great part of it ; for in Johole , Rum- bau and several other places, they are so few in number that such a fact would be impossible, and the contempt w^hich the Malays have for them, as well as their own natural disposition to tranquillity and peace, scarcely permit us to believe that such is the case now even for Sungei Ujong, where they are the most numerous.
8A AN AGCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
TRADITIONS.
The traditions entertained by the Jakuns, though frequently ridiculous, and relating impossible and fictitious facts, are not al- ways to be rejected, because sometimes they contain more or less truth, or may otherwise lead to the discovery of it. I will relate here a few of these traditions, which, if of no other utility, will assist in making known the interesting race I am now de- scribing.
The following is a tradition entertained by a part of the Jakuns of Sungei Ujong and Rumbau and related bv some of their Batins.
cr In the beginning of the world , a white Unka and a white Siamang^ dwelt on a lofty mountain : they cohabited and had four children, who descended from the
' IJocJ, unka J era species of monkey having no tail and walking erect." i^oLvw, siamang , rr the gibbon. »
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 85
mountain into the piain, and became man- kind. From them sprang four tribes. In after times, the heads of these tribes, Nenek^ Tukol, Nenek Landasson, Nenek Jelan- dong, and Nenek Karoh, were invested by an ancient king of Johore, with the hono- rary titles of To Batin Kakanda Unka , To Batin Saribu Jaya, To Batin Johon Lelah Perkasseh, and To Batin Karah.
ff The first founded the state of Calang, and possessed the Canoe Sampan Baliang; the second ascended the Samowa, or Lin- gee river, and founded Sungei Ujong; the third proceeded to the hill of Lantei kulit, and founded the state of Johole; and the fourth to Ulu Pahang. -n
The following is another tradition enter- tained by several tribes, and delivered to me by a Batin of Johole.
Formerly God created in heaven a man
' ,3a^^ nenek, ffpalernal gr.nndfaliier.n
86 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
and a woman. They were Batins (that is a king and a queen), of course, without kingdom or subjects. History says not how long a time this couple inhabited heaven ; but only that, one day, they descended on earth, and were found near the river of Johore, on the southern part of the Penin- sula. There, this celestial Batin and his consort begat a numerous family, who peo- pled all the Peninsula : those of them who embraced Islamism are called now Malays; and the others who remained more faith- ful to the manners and customs of their ancestors retained the name of Jakuns.
It is not necessary to pay great attention to perceive the analogy between this tradi- tion and the true history of the creation of mankind, as it is reported in the holy scriptures; or rather, would it not be the same history deformed in several circum- stances, but correct and easily recognized in several otliers?
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 87
There is a tradition on the origin of some tribes of Jakuns, called Orang Laut (men of the sea), because they live ordinarily in boats upon the sea, and on the sea-shore. It is related in the following way.
crDattu Klambu, a man of power in for- mer days, employed a number of Jakuns in the building of a palace. He had an only daughter, who, once upon a time observing the primitive costume of some of her fa- ther's workmen, was seized with an un- controllable fit of merriment. Whereupon, the irritated Jakuns commenced the incan- tation cf chinderwye , T^ and pursued their way to the forest, followed by the spell bound princess. Dattu Klambu despatched messengers to bring back his daughter, but she refused to return, and eventually be- came the spouse of one of the Jakun chiefs. Dattu Klambu, on receiving intelligence of this occurrence, dissembled his resentment, and invited the whole tribe to a sumptuous
88 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
entertainment, on pretence of celebrating the nuptials. In the midst of the feast he fired the palace in which the revels were carried on, and the whole of the Jakuns, except a man and a woman, perished in the flames. These two Jakuns fled to the sea-shore , and from them sprang the Orang Laut, who, not daring to return into the interior, have ever since confined them- selves to the coasts and islets, n
This tradition related by Jakuns is enti- rely difl'erent from another entertained by the Orang Laut themselves on the same subject, for they say that their first pa- rents were a white alligator and a por- poise.
PA WANGS.
The Pawangs are a class of men endow- ed with the power of performing the func- tions of priests \ teachers, physicians and
* The functions of priests amongst them consist only
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 89
sorcerers. Under any of these titles they have not much to do amongst the members of their own nation; many of them do not believe that the Pawangs have any super- natural power as sorcerers or as priests, nor do they attribute any efficacy to the acts they perform under these two titles. Many others have great doubts on this sub- je^^ however some of them certainly ac- knowledge in them some extraordinary power, more or less. The Pawangs them- selves, at least those I have seen, have very little confidence in their own ability either capacity of sorcerers or physicians. Though their knowledge be much circumscribed, they are generally more clever than their countrymen, and in every kind of sickness tliey are of course called upon. Their pre- scriptions are always accompanied with some
in performing some superslitious practices, since, as i liave mentioned in another place, they have no true and real worship.
90 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
superstitious practices, without which they are supposed to be of little or no effect. But it is amongst the Malays that their skill is much in honour, and their persons objects both of veneration and of fear. The Malays are ridiculously superstitious on that point; they have a firm faith in the efficacy of the supplications of the Pawangs, and an extraordinary dread of their sup- posed supernatural power. The Malays ima- gine that they are endowed with the power of curing every kind of sickness , and of killing an enemy, however distant he may be, by the force of spells; and with the gift of discovering mines and hidden trea- sures. It is not uncommon to see Malay men and women, at the sight of a Binua Pawang, throw themselves on the ground before him.
I could not ascertain the ordinary way for becoming a Pawang, nor discover any ceremony by wliich the Pawangship is en-
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 91
tered upon : it appears very probable that uncommon natural ability, which is found from time to time in a few of the Binuas, gives a sufficient right to exercise the func- tions of such ministry. The right of inherit- ance seems also to be looked for as contri- buting much to the claim of being Pawang. In the absence of more positive information on the subject, I will here quote a passage from Lieut. Newbold.
fcThe soul of a Pawang after death is supposed to enter into the body of a tiger. This metempsychosis is presumed to take place after the following fashion. The corpse of the Pawang is placed erect against the projection near the rootof a large tree in the depth of the forest, and carefully watched and supplied with rice and water for seven days and nights by the friends and relations. During this period the transmigration (be- lieved to be the result oF an ancient com- pact made in olden times by the Pawang's
92 AN ACCOUNT. OF THE WILD TRIBES
ancestors with a tiger) is imagined to be in active operation. On the seventh day, it is incumbent on the deceased Pawang's son, should he be desirous of exercising similar supernatural powers, to take a censer and incense of kamunian wood, and to watch near the corpse alone, when the deceased will shortly appear in the form of a tiger on the point of making the fatal spring upon him. At this crisis it is necessary not to betray the slighest symptom of alarm, but to cast with a bold heart and firm hand the incense on the fire; the seeming tiger will then disappear. The spectres of two beau- tiful women will next present themselves, and the novice will be cast into a deep trance, during which the initiation is pre- sumed to be perfected. These aerial ladies thenceforward became his familiar spirits , by whose invisible agency the secrets of na- ture, the hidden treasures of the earth are unfolded to him. Should the heir of tlie
INHABITING THE jVIALAYAN PENINSULA. 93
Pawang omit to observe this ceremonial, the spirit of the deceased, it is believed, will reenter for ever the body of the tiger, and the mantle of enchantment be irreco- verably lost to the tribe, -n
RECIPROCAL FEELING OF JAKUNS AND MALAYS.
The Jakuns hate the Malays, and the Malays despise the Jakuns. There is a na- tural and uncontrollable antipathy between these two peoples; but they stand in need of each other, and their mutual intercourse is necessary; the Jakuns launch out into incessant complaints against the Malays, as being bad people, cruel, murderers; and what is no less criminal before them , thie- ves, pilferers and liers. Some made to me the sensible remark, that the numerous sambayangs, or prayers of the Malays, could not be qf any use for them so long as they continued addicted to so many vi- ces; but they take great care, before they
n AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
thus express Iheaiselves, to look about, for they know that, if any Malay should chance to overhear them, they would not remain long uninjured. The Jakunsthus hate and abhor the Malays, but they fear them; and what makes their position more irksome is the necessity they are in of having con- tinually commerce with them : the dam- mar and several other products they find in the forest cannot be disposed of except- ing by the hands of the Malays ; which es- tablishes a dailv intercourse between them. But it is really surprising that these com- munications are always in good terms, and, though the Jakuns are rude and wild, they yet know how to give to the Malays de Veau benite de cour, and keep habitually great harmony and peace in their relations. But if the Jakuns hate and fear the Malavs, the Malays in return despise and fear extremely the Jakuns. The Malays consider the Jakuns as Cafirs, that is as infidels, and in that
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 95
quality to be despised, and as being in a rank only a little higher than animals; but on the other hand, the Malays are super- stitious in the extreme. For Malays, every thing they do not understand is a mystery; every thing not common must be endow- ed with extraordinarv virtue ; and conse- quently, for a Malay, a Jakun is a superna- tural being, endowed with a supernatural power, and with an unlimited knowledge in the secrets of nature ; he must be skilled in divination, sorcery and fascination, and able to do either evil or good according to his pleasure; his blessing will be followed by the most fortunate success , and his curse by the most dreadful consequences. When he hates some person, he turns himself towards the house, strikes two sticks one upon the other, and whatever may be the distance, his enemy will fall sick, and even die, if he perseveres in that exercise for a few days. Besides to a Malay the Jakun is
96 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
a man who, by his nature, must necessa- rily know all the properties of every plant, and consequently must be a clever physi- cian ; which explains the impatience of Ma- lays , when sick , to obtain their assistalice , or at least get some medicinal plants from them; and these they must obtain,^ on any terms, because it is necessary for them, and must preserve their life. It is not necessary that such a physician should go to the house of the sick man; as he knows every thing, he w^ill give in his own house the proper remedies to cure the sickness. He is gifted with the power of charming the wild beasts, even the most ferocious. Such are the ef- fects of Malay silliness and stupidity, joined with the most absurd superstition; and the reason why, though they despise the Jakuns , they fear them , and refrain from ill treat- ing them in m<my circumstances ^
' I must remark that I do not here mean to speak of many of the Malays who live within the limits of the
INHABITLNG THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 97 COMPARISON BETWEEN JAKUNS AND MALAYS.
When we compare those two peoples in Avhom many points seem to assign a com- mon extraction , we cannot prevent oursel- ves from having a feeling of astonishment on perceiving so remarkable a difference, 1 have already said what is the dissimili- tude, if considered in their physical appear- ance; but I can say that it is very little when compared with that which exists in their manners, customs, and with the mo- ral qualities of these two races.
The Malays are much inclined to rob- bery and cheating, and they generally fol- low this inclination ^ No man can entrust
English settlement; many of these, on account of their more frequent communications with Europeans, are more civilized, and consequently less superstitious.
^ I speak more particularly of the Malays living in the interior; there is a great difference between them and those who are in contact with Europeans.
98 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
them with any thing. Though I paid the most particular attention to my trifling and simple baggage, every time that I have tra- velled in the interior, and had always a servant watching, several things were stol- en, and some times I caught the rogue in the fact : and what moreover shows a peo- ple accustomed to such a vice, is that, af- ter having been caught in the fact, they are not at all disconcerted, and with an imper- turbable sang-froid deny the circumstances. To lie for a Malay is nothing, injustice and perjury are but small peccadilloes, which will be forgiven by God as soon as forgotten from their memory, which happens pre- sently. In order to plunder stranger who journeys amongst them, they must know in detail all the parts which compose his pro- perty; this is the reason of so many ques- tions, more or less importunate, which they put to the traveller, upon his state, his fortune, his position, and the objects
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 99
contained in his baggage, which must be unfolded and examined in detail and which they as surely ask for as a gift; then the traveller must consider himself as warned, and direct his particular attention to the things which were asked for, as they are in danger of disappearing.
I recollect that, when journeying in Jo- hole, every time I reached a campong of Jakuns, and entered any house where I intended to stop , at once a woman of the family took a basket, went away, and a few minutes after entered again with some kla- dees or other vegetable , which were cooked and presented to me about half an hour after my arrival. When the next day I of- fered to them some small articles as a re- turn, they received them with some ap- pearance of shame; so much so, that I was obliged to show them that this was not a present, but a debt; and that I was only doing according to the custom of my native
100 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
country, where a traveller must always give some thing to the owner of the house where he has slept. On the contrary, on my enter- ing any Malay home, I perceived that the chief of the family, in the persuasion that this was a lucky windfall not to be lost, began at once by taking every means to speculate upon me ; hence the exaggerated difficulties to continue the journey, which are made to appear as impossible, for want of coolies, of guides, etc. — which signi- fies, ^ If you do not give me some good pre- sent, you shall not pass farther. r> The travel- ler may give as much as may be in his power, yet this will never be sufficient. The actions of Malays generally show low senti- ments and a sordid feeling; but the Jakuns are naturally proud and generous.
These two peoples, so different in many points, are notwithstanding similar in some respects : both are ignorant, and conse- quently superstitious. In these two points
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PSNINSJIU. 1()3
they resemble each other, with this difler- ence that the Malays are ignorant and pre- tend to be the most enlightened people and refuse to hear any body. The Jakuns are ignorant, but aware of their ignorance; though they are proud and independent , yet they think that others know better than themselves, and thus bear easily to be taught. With respect to the latter, though these two races are superstitious, certainly the Ma- lays are more so than the Jakuns; and I further observed that those of the Jakuns who have less correspondence with the Ma- lays are also the less superstitious.
From whence then comes so remarkable a difference between two peoples who have inhabited the same country for so many centuries, and who appear to have about the same origin? This question presented itself many times to my mind, during my several journeys in the interior of the Pen- insula; and to it I have not yet found a
Jat> \f AGC0UNT OF THE WILD TRIBES
satisfactory answer. I will notwithstanding offer here a few expressions, which may present more or less probability. The Ma- lays are Mohammedans : would not the plundering and bloody way of propagating the Koran be the first principle of their inclination to plundering and bloody ac- tions? as it is natural in human nature to feel less repugnance for any thing which al- ready has become consecrated by religious views. It is remarkable that about the same inclination is found in almost all the Mo- hammedan nations. Every one knows that, before France took Algiers, the whole of the Algerine states were an empire of pi- rates. In the same manner, before the En- glish sway had established security in this part of the world, the Malays too were a nation of murderers and pirates. It is cer- tain also that Islamism leads its followers into ignorance, and consequently into su- perstition, which is its usual result. It is
J
INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA. 103
ascertained by travellers that countries in- habited by Mohammedans are those where exists the profoundest ignorance. And every one is aware of the historical fact of the destruction of the famous Library of Alexandria, mider the pretext that the Ko- ran was the only book necessary, all others being useless; hence was destroyed this sa- cred sanctuary of doctrine , and extinguished one of the brightest scientific luminaries which has ever enlightened any part of the world.
SYMPATHY AND CONFIDENCE TOWARDS EUROPEANS.
If the Jakuns hate the Malays, and fear them, it is certainly not an effect of ego- tism and of a natural timidity, for they do not so towards other nations : they dis- like not the Chinese, and they have a re- markable sympathy for Europeans, and place unlimited trust in them even after a single interview. The reason is that gene-
104 AN ACCOUNT OF THE WILD TRIBES.
rally Europeans show in their conversation a security and frankness, which, by its great contrast with the deceitfulness of the Malays, catches at once the hearts of this people of children. They love the European and attach themselves to him as soon as they know him , and the slightest good of- fice received from him is the source of the most unbounded gratitude; though this fact was related to me by several persons , I scarcely believed it, until I was myself witness of it.
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE,
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
The many difBcuities I had met with in the several journeys I had already un- dertaken in the Malay countries, from the petty chiefs who are established in each village, convinced me that it was almost impossible to succeed in such journeys without having previously obtained a re- gular passport from the rulers of the Ma- layan States. In September i8i6, I there- fore repaired to Singapore to obtain from His Majesty the Sultan of Johore and His Highness the Tumongong of Singapore the necessary permission to travel in the Johore territory. As I was acquainted with the mother of His Majesty the Sultan, I had taken the precaution of obtaining from her a letter of recommendation to the Sul-
108 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
tan; by these means I found the way of communicating with His Majesty free from obstacle. I was received by him with re- markable familiarity and kindness, and a few days after the requested document, duly authenticated with the Sultan's seal, was delivered to me.
I likewise asked the same from His High- ness the Tumungong of Singapore. I was neither received by him so familiarly nor so kindly; he gave me however the permis- sion requested; but he gave it by word only, saying that the document already given by the Sultan was sufficient, and assuring me that the authority of the Sultan and his own were unum et idem.
I left Singapore on the fifth of Septem- ber; I was accompanied by an Indo-Por- tuguese boy as servant and by a Chinese as cooly ; the boat which conveyed me was of a small size, having two Malabar men as rowers, in case the wind should fail,
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 109
and one as pilot. My provisions consisted of a few gantangs of rice and a small quan- tity of dried fish ; and a few changes of dress composed my wardrobe. Experience had already taught me all the difficulties at- tending such journeys, and that a good and comfortable supply of food and of clothing, though very useful, would, under such circumstances, be more cumbersome than advantageous , on account of the dif- ficulty of transporting them. So I took with me only what was absolutely neces- sary to support my own existence and that of the two persons who accompanied me for the space of one month, the supposed duration of the journey I was then under- taking.
My intention was to enter the Malayan Peninsula by the river of Johore , and , con- tinuing the, route by land through the jungle with which the Peninsula is almost entirely covered, to direct my march in
110 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
the direction of mount Ophir, and thence to Malacca; tracing from Johore to the latitude of Malacca , through the midst of the Peninsula, a line which had not yet been followed by any European , and per- haps by very few, if any, Malays. It will be seen hereafter that several accidents prevented me from making the journey as I first purposed. My design was to visit the several wild tribes which were said to in- habit in great numbers the most interior part of the Peninsula, and to obtain, re- specting them , the most full and exact in- formation which circumstances would allow me. I was also ordered by his lordship D' Boucho to ascertain if there would be a possibility of establishing a Mission amongst them.
My small boat, which left Singapore on the fifth of September at five o'clock a. m. with a most favourable breeze, was at ten o'clock between Tanjong Ghangy, the most
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. Ill
eastern part of the island of Singapore, and Pulo Tikong; doubling the western point of this small island, I reached, a few minutes after, a small Malay village near Gunong Bau. The name of the village is Tikong. It consists only of a few miserable Malay houses, and is governed by a Pang- hulu who was absent. I stopped there only a few moments and entered at once the Johore river. At half past eleven o'clock I reached another village called Pomatang, where I landed. This second village is more considerable than the first, and is the residence of a Rajah then called Ra- jah Prang, who was absent. I tried to ob- tain some information about the village it- self as well as respecting the neighbouring places; but, upon seeing me, the inmates of the place fled, and I could scarcely suc- ceed in reaching a few of them, who ap- peared so much surprised and astonished, that I could not obtain from them any
112 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
satisfactory answer. I left the village about an hour after ray arrival there ; I sailed for Johore , where I arrived at four o'clock p. m.
Johore, formerly the chief city of the empire of that name and residence of the Sultan, is situated about twenty miles up the river. The town was founded in 1 5 1 1 or 1 5 1 2 A. D. by Sultan Mahomad Shah II of Malacca , who , after his expulsion from that place by the Portuguese, fled to the river of Johore. From that time the town of Johore has been the capital of the em- pire , which took the name of the empire of Johore instead of that of Malacca.
The inhabitants of Johore told me that their town was formerly a considerable one, that the Sultan who used to reside there had a fortified castle , and that the city was adorned by several handsome buildings erected chiefly upon some elevated ground, distant a few hundred steps from the last houses of the present village going down
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 113
the river. I visited the place, but I coaid not find any remains of them.
The town of Johore has undergone the same fate as the empire; it has fallen en- tirely. It consists of about twenty-five or thirty Malay houses built on wooden poles and covered with ataps and chucho leaves ; about the center of the village I remarked a mosque built with planks , but it appear- ed to be in a miserable state, calling for repairs; the place is now of no importance.
Johore is the residence of a Panghulu who is appointed both by the Sultan of Johore and by the Tumungong of Singa- pore. The present Panghulu, who is call- ed Java, after having examined the cre- dentials I had from the Sultan, received me very kindly. The men I had engaged at Singapore, refusing to go further, re- turned back with their boat. I passed the night in the. house of a China man who kept a shop.
114 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
The next day, the Panghulu procured me a smaii boat with three men , in order to go up the river to the small stream of Kamang. At ten o'clock a.m. I left Johore. At about twelve o'clock , I was near Pulo Kayu Anak Besar ; this is an island of about four or five miles in length; near this is another smaller called Pulo Kayu Anak Kechil. At about six o'clock, I arrived at the small river Kamang; a few houses are found there, and a Panghulu resides at the mouth of the river; the name of the Pang- hulu is Sapa. I passed the night in his house, and the men who brought me there returned to Johore with their boat.
The next morning, it was matter of no small trouble to get the Panghulu to pro- cure men and a boat to take me up the river. As he knew that none would consent to accompany me if not allowed by him , he asked such a high price for each man and for the boat, that I could not agree
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 115
with him. As he remained obstinate in his first demand, I thought it impossible to proceed further; so I asked him at least for a boat and men to return back to Johore; but this he roughly refused. I then began to be a little anxious , finding myself a prisoner in such a remote place and in such hands. After breakfast, we came again to a new discussion on the same subject; he then appeared a little more complying ,t and at last, after a long parley, he con- sented to furnish men to convey me up the river for a moderate price. This man was no worse than any other Malay. It is gene- rally admitted amongst them that every one may use all means of making mo- ney, whatever these means may be; and, if this man had not perceived that I had but very little money, I would never have pass- ed on till a good part of it had found its way into his pocket. However I think that he is to be considered as an honest Malay.
116 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
I started from that place about ten o'clock; nothing else remarkable occured on that day ; only I was informed that near the river of Kamang are the remains of an ancient fort; but I did not visit the place. About six o'clock, I stopped to rest; I slept in the boat, and, as there was no place for a second person , my men went to sleep in a house on the right bank of the river.
On the 8th, Ave could make but a few miles, the river being then obstructed by a great quantity of fallen trees. My men were often obliged with great trouble to cut the trees and their branches when lying across the river, or to take up the boat to make it pass over the large pieces of wood they could not cut : this was somewhat danger- ous on account of the depth of the river. At sunset 1 stopped in a desert place; my men slept under a tree near the river on the left bank, and I passed the night in the boat.
A JOURNEY liN JOHORE. 117
On the gth, at about nine o'clock a. m. I reached the junction of the two rivers Sayong and Negaoyoung with that of Johore ; I was then informed that both were inha- bited by Jakuns; but, as many days would be required to visit them, I continued to go up the river. In the evening, I reached a place called Menkao, where are the two last Malay houses in a kampong on the left bank going up the river, and where I li- kewise found the first families of Jakuns. They amount in that place to the number of thirty persons. On the opposite side, in another kampong named Kampong YnasSy are also found five families of Jakuns.
The incessant rain forced me to remain here two days. The river is here no more than twenty or twenty-five feet in breadth , but is very deep. I remarked that the river of Johore from its source to Menkao is call- ed Sayong Besar by the aborigines, while they give the name of Sayong Kechil to
118 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
the Sayong river, which I have before men- tioned.
During my stay in that place, I was in- formed that the great Panghulu Batin, who rules over all the Jakuns who inhabit this part of the Johore territory, was living about two hours from there; as the Ma- lays who had brought me up refused to go further, I sent for him. The next morn- ing, he arrived with six other Jakuns : he promised to give me men to conduct me by land to the extremity of the Banut river. I therefore started with him in a small boat, in order to repair to his house. When I left the Malays to entrust myself amongst the Jakuns, I felt quite easy : I was much satisfied to. find myself again amongst people whom I already knew to be per- fectly honest and most inoffensive. I had scarcely departed when a heavy rain be- gan to fall, and it continued until the even- ing; we proceeded however up the river
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 119
for about one hour, when the rain was so violent that the Batin declared that it was impossible to go further. We stopped at a Jakun's house, on the right side of theriver, which is in that place no more than eight or ten feet broad, but yet very deep. As the branches of the trees which cross the river had prevented us from keeping a covering upon the boat, we were all wet and in a very unpleasant state. We lighted fires in several places to warm and dry ourselves. Several of my men felt a little sick all the evening. Two hours after my arrival there, the Batin had a severe fit of fever, the Indo-Portuguese boy had likewise an attack , but slight. I was a little anxious about them; but the good appetite which every one of them shewed the next morn- ing at breakfast cheered me up again. That day I repaired to the house of the Panghulu Batin, which is in the interior of the jungle, about one hour's walk from the
120 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
bank of the river. I stopped there two days, which I spent in visiting some neighbour- ing kampongs of Jakuns and in collect- ing information about the place. I was told that the source of the Sayong Besar, that is, of the Johore river, was not far from there, near a hill which was pointed out ; but I could not perceive it. According to this indication, it should be quite in the centre of the Peninsula, about the latitude of the mouth of the Sedilli river. I wished much to go up the river to its source; but the Jakuns told me that this was impossible, on account of the great quantity of fallen trees which entirely obstruct it.
The Batin, whom I have mentioned, is an old man of about eighty years of age ; he is duly appointed by the Sultan of Johore and by the Tumungong of Singapore to rule over two to three hundred Jakuns, living in a radius of about one day's walk from his house; this dignity was conferred
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 121
upon him, about fifteen years ago, by two written documents, the first authenticated with the seal of the Sultan and the second with that of the Tumungong. At the same time he received from each of these two authorities a spear adorned with gold and silver, as the insignia of his Batinship. On asking to see the written documents, I was answered, suda makan api, they are burnt; but as to the two spears, as they were much more precious for these children of nature than a dead letter of which they could not understand the slightest part, they were also kept more carefully and daily used.
Before I proceed further with the narra- tive of my journey, I must say a few words about the river of Johore. This stream is probably the largest of the Peninsula. At its mouth it is about three miles wide ; at an island called Pulo Layang, a few miles above the ancient town of Johore, it is yet about two miles broad; after the two is-
b
122 A JOURNEY IN JOHOBE.
lands called Pulo Kayu Anak Kechil and Pulo Kayu Anak Besar are passed , it is from two to three hundred yards wide; but, after that, it rapidly narrows, so that, a few miles further up, at the junction of the small ri- ver Kamang, it is no more than thirty yards. It then diminishes very little in breadth till Menkao, where I found it twenty-five feet, and a few miles after only ten. It is to ]?e remarked that this river, as well as se- veral other rivers of the Peninsula which I have visited, do not become shallow in pro- portion as they become narrow ; as I found fifteen feet of water at Menkao , where the river is no more than twenty-five feet broad. Thus Johore might be considered as navi- gable even for boats of considerable size until near its source, if it could be cleared of the trees by which it is obstructed. I re- marked that the jungle which covers both banks of the river abounds in rattans, chiefly in the upper part; there is also
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 123
much dammar and garni wood. These se- veral commodities are to a small extent collected by the Malays, but in a much greater quantity by the Jakuns, who ex- change them with the Malays for rice, cloth, etc. They are brought by the Malays to Johore, where several Chinese traders buy them and bring them to the market of Singapore. The banks of the Johore river are almost desert, a few Malay houses are the only habitations met with, and these ordinarily at a great distance from each other. The traveller proceeds sometimes half a day or an entire day without meet- ing any of them. There is nothing like a village except that of Johore. But, in the absence of human beings, a great number of wild beasts are met with on both sides of the river. We perceived several tigers; and the many places where we observed their prints, near the water, cannot leave any doubt as to the presence of this fero-
124 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
cious animal, which must be found here in great numbers. This fact is also confirm- ed by the Malays; several of whom as- sured me that, during the last six months preceding my visit, five Malays had been devoured by tigers on the banks of the river, and one in a boat on the water ; for they assured me that one of the five Ma- lays above mentioned had been taken out of his boat by the animal while he was asleep during the night.
On the 1 4th, I left the house of the Ba- tin , in order to reach the extremity of the Banut river. The Batin had for a long time tried to dissuade me from going further, assuring me that tliere were several places where a gentleman could not pass. I asked him if he had never passed there. As he answered that he was accustomed to do so , fr well , -n said I , cr wherever another man can pass, I can pass also,Ti and we start- ed. 1 was obliged to take five Jakuns to
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 125
carry my baggage, trifling as it was, be- cause each man could only carry a very small load, on account of the difficultv of travelling. Part of the forenoon we spent traversing a country covered with rank grass, which reached to the height of eight or ten feet; the ground was low and co- vered with water, in which grew the above mentioned grass. We proceeded on our journey, having for long time muddy water up to the knee; a little after it reached as high as the thighs, and finally we found ourselves in mud and water up to the waist. Then I began to believe that what the Batin liad told me was true; but, before turning back, I asked my guides if the depth of the quagmire would increase further, and, as they answered that we were just now in the deepest part, we continued our way, and in about half an hour after we found ourselves on dry ground. We entered a good footpath , but did not enjoy it long, for
126 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
scarcely half an hour had elapsed, when we were obhged to enter mud again. In the absence of a footpath, we followed a small muddy stream. We had no mud or water higher than the knee, and could have walked pretty fast if another impedi- ment had not presented itself. This was oc- casioned by the thorny rattan tree which grows there abundantly. The leaves and branches which every year fall from that tree, and in the course of time enter the mud, must be a serious inconvenience to the traveller who is obliged to journey ba- refoot. This, together with the branches and the thorns of the trees by which the clothes are hooked on every side, renders such travelling very difficult. We spent thus about three hours, and, I suppose, we did not walk more than a mile and half. About three o'clock p.m. we arrived at a kampong inliabited by Jakuns, three houses, five fa- milies and eighteen persons. These Jakuns
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 127
have inhabited the place for many years ; they have a large cultivated kampong well furnished with mangosteen , champadah and many other kinds of fruit trees. I re- marked likewise a number of betel trees and sugar canes, and a large paddy field.
The Jakuns here are the most comfort- ably established I have ever met with. I was kindly received by the inmates of this solitary place; and my arrival was the occa- sion of a feast. All the population of the kampong being gathered together in the largest house , that in which I had already taken my lodging, cakes of more than one kind were made, and kladees were pre- pared with several sauces; a fowl was killed and presented to me; all the evening was spent in lively conversation and in singing accompanied with drums. I was told that the place is entirely solitary, the nearest house being that of the Batin which I liad left in the morning, and that on all other
128 A JOURNEY IN JOHORi:.
sides there were no houses nearer than those on the river of Banut, where I in- tended ta go, and which could be reached in three days by a tolerably good footpath through thick jungle. The next day, the owners of the place gave me a fowl, some kladees and other vegetables; and, as one of them remarked that my China man com- plained much of the weight of his load, he offered himself to take a part of it as far as the Banut river; I willingly accepted this offer, and, having given several articles in return for the hospitality I had received I started.
We had pretty good roads and weather until about two o'clock p.m. when a heavy thunderstorm burst over us. The Jakuns told me that it was impossible to go furthei* for that day, and at once disappeared; I was anxious as to this, when I perceived them coming back, each bearing a large bundle of chucho leaves, by means of
. ♦
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 129
which a sort of shed was in a few minutes erected. We kindled a fire, to dry our clothes; and the rain continuing until dark, we huddled ourselves there together to pass the night, though as uncomfortably as possible. About nine o'clock, we received the visit of a tiger, which did not harm us; he passed close beside me and the Portu- guese boy, and continued his way quietly ; we heard his roar in the neighbourhood, but we did not see any thing more of him. The next day, the Portuguese boy told me that lie had been so much frightened by the sight of the tiger, that he could not sleep the whole night.
On tlie 1 5th, we walked all the day, and nothing happened worthy of remark; we stopped in a desert place and slept as on the preceding night.
On the 1 6th , at about two o'clock p. m. we arrived at a place named Kampong Bamit, where formerly there had been a
130 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
village inhabited by Jakuns : their number had probably been considerable, since a large piece of ground had been cleared and cultivated. My guides told me that the in- salubrity of the place had forced the inha- bitants to abandon it several years ago; the jungle is already grown up, and a few years more the place will be scarcely distin- guishable from the thickest forest. At sunset we arrived at the place where tlie Jakuns of Banut live at present. The population of the place amounts to eighty persons, who are governed by a chief termed Panghulu. The whole of them inhabit comfortable houses, and they cultivate much rice; this grain with kladees, and a quantity offish they catch in the river Banut, compose al- most the whole of their daily food. I was received by the chief in the most kind and polite manner, and at his earnest request I passed two nights in his liouse. I intended to go from there to the extremity of the
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 131
river of Batu Pahat (the Rio Formosa of the Portuguese) , and I had already agreed for a guide and cooHes, when my Portuguese boy and my China man declared that they were unable to continue the journey by land. Their feet were in a dreadful state; this was the effect of the bite of a kind of leech called by the Malays pachat. As I have not yet seen this inconvenience no- ticed in any writing, I will mention it here. These leeches are of a peculiar kind, small in size, but very numerous in the interior of the jungle. They are chiefly met with in damp weather; persons who are not accus- tomed to travel through the jungle some- times sufl'er much from their bite, which is the more dangerous as very often it is not felt, thus giving them ample time to be cloyed before they are perceived; ordi- narily the blood continues to trickle long after they are removed; and the wounds they cause are difficult to cure : I have
132 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
seen wounds caused by them , which after several weeks were yet quite fresh.
The state of my two men obliged me to take a new resolution. I agreed with the Jakun chief to convey me down the river to near the sea, Avhere there is a small Ma- lay village under a Panghulu. He provided me with his own boat, two of his sons and a third man. The Malay Panghulu , I hoped , would furnish me with men and a boat to convey me to the river of Batu Pahat. I in- tended by that way to re-enter the interior- of the Peninsula, and prosecute my first intended journey.
On the i8th, I left the Jakuns of Banut. Two days and a half were spent in coming down the river. The boat being unfit to sleep in, I passed the two nights on the bank, and, as on both sides of the river the ground is generally low and covered with water to a considerable depth, we cut some forked poles, and upon these placed
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 133
sticks cross wise; by which means we had a dry place to sleep upon. We experienced no other inconvenience during the night, but that caused by the rain from a thun- derstorm which burst over us.
On the third day, I arrived at the Malay village. The chief being at his paddy field, in a kampong situated a few miles up a small river called Pingan , I was obliged to repair to that place. I reached the Pang- hulu's habitation at about two o'clock p. m. The title of this chief is Panghulu Kissang, from his having for many years ruled a small place in the river of that name. He is an old man more than eighty years of age, his eyes seem to announce fraud and de- ceitfulness, hidden under a composed ap- pearance. His children, to the third and fourth generation, form a numerous fa- mily. From information I received about this personage, a few days after my arrival at Malacca, I am induced to believe that
iU A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
both hiaiself and the whole of his family have a bad character. I was not aware of this when I arrived at his house, but I had soon occasion to know this people.
The Panghulu was not at home when 1 arrived; several persons of his family told me that he had gone to catch fish , and was expected back in a few hours. They as- sured me that there would be no difficulty in finding a boat and men to take me wher- ever I intended to go. After such an assur- ance, 1 paid the Jakuns for their trouble and sent them back to their habitation; but scarcely were they departed when the conduct of the Malays changed. There were no longer means to find either boat or men; and on the arrival of the Panghulu the dif- ficulty increased. My Portuguese boy, hav- ing observed the behaviour of the Malays, said to me : cc Sir, you are in the hands of bad people.!^ Ere long the event proved the correctness of his opinion. The Pang-
I
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 135
hulu, on several pretexts, refused either boat or men; and finally told me, plainly, that, as he had not invited me to come into the place, it was not his business to take me away. I shewed the Sultan's letter. He considered that, being under the Tu- mungong only, he was by no means bound to obey the Sultan's order. I tried to make an agreement with some other Malays; but, as they knew the intention of the chief, they refused to take me away on any terms. I asked likewise for a man to take a letter to Singapore. This I was also refused, though I offered a good reward.
The Panghulu kept me one week in a small house in the middle of a paddy field remote from any habitation; hoping that I would be soon tired of such an uncom- fortable gaol, and offer a considerable ran- som. As my provisions were expended, I asked to buy a fresh supply; I was fur- nished with rice and sugar cane; but fowl
136 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
and fish were absolutely refused. On the fifth day of this petty captivity, a man was sent to me by the Panghuiu, who assured me that I was free to go away, provided I previously paid a certain sum of money : I answered him, crGo tell the Panghuiu that he shall never congratulate himself with having stolen any money from me ; n upon which he remarked that I would possibly be obliged to remain there a long time; but I told him, crl see no great inconve- nience in that, since I am a single man, having no family, n He repeatedly asked me ff whether I was afraid of robbers ?n ff Why, yi was my reply, cr should I fear rob- bers , since I have nothing precious for them to rob?n But said he, fcThey could kill you; Ti and I told him, rr Did I fear to die, I would not have come here; but if I were attacked, possibly two of my enemies would die before me, look at this,^ showing him a double barrel gun which I had to protect
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 137
me against the wild beasts, cf it could be useJ on such an occasion, -n Two days after, the same man came again, and, having fruitlessly tried to make me agree to give money, he told me that I could start the next day, but that the men who accompanied me would be ten in number, and must be well paid. I could not imagine for what reason so many men were required to accompany me; I suspected that, fearing I might make a complaint against them after my arrival at Malacca, they might possibly intend to despatch me in the river or on the sea, where this could be more easily executed than in the kampong; under this impres- sion I told him that, four or five men being quite enough, I would not take one more. He went to see the Panghulu , and , coming back, told me that the next day the boat would be ready.
On the evening of the same day, we re- marked that all the men of the kampong
138 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
had repaired to the house of the Panghulu. They spent the night there; when they made a dreadful noise, the cause for which J did not know. For several nights we had slept but very little, keeping a look out in case of being attacked, and being assisted in our sedulous watching by musquittos, which were there very numerous; but, on the last night, the mysterious manner in which all the population of the place liad repaired to the house of the Panghulu still more excited our attention. About midnight I began to be sleepy, when my China man awoke, me saying that many men had come and were under the house, where they spoke for some time in a low voice, but the meaning of their conversation could not be understood. My two men appeared much frightened, thinking, as they told me, that this people at such an hour could only come for some bad purpose. But, the conversation which had called our attention
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 139
having ceased, we remained quiet the lest of the night, and heard nothing more, ex- cept the noise which continued in the house of the Panghulu.
The next day, at ten o'clock a.m. the hoat being ready, we prepared to start. I was surprised to find the Panghulu and his family apparently afraid, and making a long and tedious apology for not having been able, as he said, to procure me a boat sooner. I suppose he was under the apprehension , I would take some revenge against him after my arrival at Malacca.
At twelve o'clock we left the place, being accompanied by one of the sons of the Pang- hulu and three other men; about half a mile before we reached the sea, they threw the anchor, intending, as they told me, to pass there the night; but, in the apprehen- sion that they could have some other in- tention, I refused to slop there, and, as I did not consider myself in security in a so
k
UO A JOURNEY IN JOHOUE.
remote and solitary place, I obliged them to go forward to the mouth of the river, where, on account of low water, we re- mained till about ten o'clock in the night : at that time I wished to sail , but new ob- jections from the Malays, who intended to sleep there; I ordered imperiously, and they started. All the night we had a most propitious wind, and at the break of day we found ourselves before the river of Batu Pahat, which I had first intended to enter; but, my Portuguese boy being presently in a serious state of sickness caused by the bad quality of the water we had used dur- ing the seven days of our captivity, I or- dered to steer towards Malacca. At first the Malays refused; but, after assuring them that they would not meet there with any offensive event, and promising a conve- nient pay for their trouble , they consented : and on the 3oth we reached this place, where, after an attendance of fifteen days
A JOURNEY IN JOHOBE. Ul
given by D'* Raton, the assistant surgeon of the honourable Company, to my Portuguese boy, he recovered.
REMARKS ON THE RIVER RANUT.
This river has its source about the cen- tre of the Peninsula. A boat can come down from its source to the sea in three days, and I suppose that five days would be spent in going up. It is very crooked from its source to the habitation of the Ja- kuns, but not deep. I crossed it in many places, having water scarcely up to the thighs. But from the kampong of the Ja- kuns to the sea it is very deep; in many places I could not reach the bottom with a stick of three fathoms. The two banks are so low, that the true channel of the river cannot be distinguished without some diffi- culty : the great quantity of large trees which grow to the middle of the river make
i3.
U2 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
its bed easily lost; a boat is obliged to go among these trees in the same way as a traveller in the jungle without a footpath : a current always rapid, with these incon- veniences, renders the navigation danger- ous. It would certainly be very imprudent to undertake to navigate it without a guide well acquainted with the place. The Jakuns who guided me, though well accustomed to the locality, lost their way several times. At about five miles distant from its mouth , the river is clear from trees, and presents a fine prospect. The banks are now high, and a great part of the adjacent grounds have been cultivated in former times, al- though they are now almost entirely aban- doned. A considerable number of alligators which are met with in the mouth of the river, and a few miles higher, astonish the traveller who for the first time navigates it. The river of Banut abounds with fish, and turtles of very large size. My guides
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 143
caught several large fishes, and a turtle which weighed no less than sixty pounds.
About three miles from the mouth of the river, on the left hand coming down to the sea, there is a small village called Ba- nut, consisting of about twelve or fifteen houses scattered over a space of nearly one mile. A Mohammedan priest resides there ; there is also a mosque, but in a miserable state.
About one mile from the sea, also on the left hand descending, is the junction with the small river Pingan; about two miles up which is a kampong or small vil- lage called Pingan, consisting of eight or nine houses; this village is inhabited only a part of the year. The inhabitants of Ba- nut come there in order to plant rice, and after the harvest they return to their ordi- nary habitations. The river Banut is thus inliabited by two kinds of men: the Malays, about forty or fifty persons in number, in-
UA A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
habit the lower part; and Jakuns, about eighty persons, are found in the upper part. The great interval which divides these two populations is entirely deserted.
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PENINSULA.
From the observations I made in this journey, and in several others I performed in the interior of the Peninsula, I am in- duced to consider it in the following view.
That partof tlie Malayan Peninsula com- prised between a supposed right hne taken from the mouth of the river Gassang on the West coast, passing by mount Ophir and terminating on the East coast about half way from the Sedilli river to that of Pahang , and Point Ramunia, may be considered as almost a vast desert ; only a few Malays are found in several places on the sea-shore, and more or lesson the banks of the rivers; and a small number of Jakuns inhabit the
A JOURNEY IIN JOHORE. 145
interior. I suppose all the population of that immense territory is not equal to a sixth or a seventh of the population of the single island of Singapore. The principal Malay villages are the following : one on the West coast, at Padang, near the mouth of the Muar river; a considerable quantity of fruit was formerly exported from that place, but, a great part of the fruit trees having been destroyed by elephants a few years ago , the export is now of little consi- deration; one on Batu Pahat, or Rio For- mosa, whence ebony and rattans are ex- ported; the village of Johore, on the river of that name; and another I have not visit- ed, on the Sedilli river, on the East coast.
The principal habitations of the Jakuns are found at the upper extremity of the rivers of Johore, Banut, Batu Pahat and Muar.
The interior of this part of the Peninsula is generally a low ground, at some period
146 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE.
of the year covered with water in many places. A majestic and solemn forest, which extends itself over almost the whole of this immense space, bounds continually the view of the traveller, even when placed upon the hills which are sometimes, though seldom, met with. The gloom caused by the thick foliage of lofty trees, and the dull silence of the place, often joined with the humming murmur of rocky rivulets, pro- duce the most melancholy imaginations, while the sight of some old trees fallen down calls to the mind the end of every earthly thing, and offers to the traveller an appro- priate subject for philosophical meditation. The birds, which, by their melodious lan- guage, might raise his mind to some gay and joyful reflections, are there in small number. The most numerous inhabitants of that land are the wild beasts. The pan- ther, falsely called black tiger by the Malays, is one of the most common. The royal tiger
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 147
appears likewise to be very numerous. Ele- phants are found in herds, but in some places only. I had been told that bears were not found in the Peninsula, but I have been convinced of the contrary by my own senses. I am told rhinoceroses are to be met with in the thickest and lowest part of the forest, but I have never seen any of them. I have seen but few snakes, though the Jakuns assured me that they are very numerous; and not uncommonly they meet with a kind they call ular sawah, which appears to be the boa, of which some are of the size of the body of a man, and swallow a buffalo ^ The vegetation of the interior of the Pen- insula is one of the most luxuriant that can be seen; trees grow to the greatest size that can be reached.
* A snake noticed in the Journal of the Indian Archi- pelago, although no more than three inches in diameter at the thickest part of the body, swallowed a pig of more than fifty pounds weight.
l/i8 A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. .
Amongst the fruit trees, the durian is one of the most remarkable; it grows in the thickest part of the forest without any cul- ture. The wild mangosteen and rambootan are likewise found in many places, and their fruit is but little inferior to those cul- tivated in gardens.
The interior of the part of the Peninsula I now speak of is certainly very productive. AH low places appear to be fit for cultivating rice ; and I have no doubt that sugar cane would succeed in many places, principally where is found the kind of palm tree called nibong by the Malays. I have seen in seve- ral instances sugar cane of an extraordi- nary luxuriancy, though after having been planted by Jakuns it received very little care.
It is probable that the country is rich in gold and tin; at least the fact of their exis- tence in several places induces me to be- lieve that they must be found in others.
A JOURNEY IN JOHORE. 149
There are tin mines on the banks of the Johore river. Several others were lately dis- covered in the piece of ground which lies between the two rivers of Muar and Cas- sang; and every one is aware of tlie consi- derable quantity of gold which is extracted every year from the mines of mount Ophir, though worked without proper means and by a few persons only.
Many of the numerous rivers which open both on the East and West coast would be navigable to the centre of the Peninsula , if they were cleared from the fallen trees by which they are obstructed, and the ex- portation of the produce both of the culti- vated ground and of the mines would be thus rendered very easy.
A JOURNEY
IN THE
MENANGKABAW STATES
OF THE MALAYAN PENINSULA.
i
A JOURNEY
IN THE
MENANGKABAW STATES
OF THE MALAYAN PENINSULA.
As I was assured by several persons that a great number of Jakuns were to be found in the Menangkabaw states, particularly in Rumbau and Sungey Ujong^ I intended to visit these several states, in order to ascer- tain the true number of these tribes , and in the meantime to examine the chances of success in establishing a Mission amongst them.
' The information I had from several parts made the number of the Jakuns of Sungey Ujong only to amount to seven thousand; this information was erroneous, as it will be seen hereafter.
16.
15/i A JOURNEY
I left Malacca on the seventh of July, ac- companied by the Rev. M*" Borie. The same day we reached Alorgaja, a village in the province of Naning, near Fort Lismore, where a garrison of a few native soldiers is kept by the honourable Company. We stop- ped at the Bungalow, where bad weather obliged us to remain until the tenth. We spent these four days in seeking for coolies, for it was very difficult to get them ; several times we agreed with Malays, but after con- sideration they refused to follow us; the reason was that, the people who are living in the Company's ground being accustomed to the freedom given by British government, they fear much to find themselves in the Malay country, where very little security is found, both from government and from private Malays ; however, after we had pro- mised that we would avoid every thing which could offend either the Malay chiefs or their subjects, in all the places we might
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 155
journey in, two Malays consented to accom- pany us as guides and coolies.
On the eleventh, at seven o'clock a. m. we left Alorgaja, directing our journey towards Johole, the most south-east of the Menangkabaw states. The boundaries of that state with the Company's ground are form- ed by a line supposed to be drawn from a small mountain called Bukit Putus, passing by another called Battang Malacca, and ter- minating at the foot of mount Ophir. At about eleven w^e passed the boundaries of the Company's territory a few miles west of Bukit Putus, and entered a small state called Tamping, from the name of a high mountain. Three chiefs termed Panghulus rule over this small place. They told me that they were only dependant on Syed Saban, formerly chief of Rumbau, now residing at Malacca, though, on the other hand, the actual chief of Rumbau, a few days after, declared the contrary. By about
156 A JOURNEY
one o'clock we had already crossed Tamping and passed its boundaries with Johole ; we continued our journey through the jungle till about three o'clock, when we found ourselves in a most pleasant place, though in the thickest part of the forest. The pro- spect is not very extended, but is however a beautiful one; there is a small valley in which a fine cascade, falling from the next eminence amongst large rocks, offers to the traveller both excellent water to quench his thirst, and one of the finest accommo- dations to bath. We rested there about half an hour, and then continued our journey until half past four, when we found our- selves in a large valley in which lies the kingdom of Johole. The whole of the po- pulation of that state, which is said to amount to about three thousand souls only, Inhabit this valley, which runs nearly in a line from west to east, extending six or se- ven miles. Several places, where a greater
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 157
number of houses are found more cluster- ed together, are termed villages. There are five principal villages, viz. Nury, Landang, Iney, Toman and Bennong. Rice is culti- vated throughout the valley, which appears very fit for such cultivation; on both sides are the five villages before named, and a few other habitations; the rest of the state is covered with forest, and is almost unin- habited.
The village at which we arrived is that of Nury, the ordinary residence of the chief, who is termed Panghulu. This dignitary, then absent, was about one mile further celebrating the nuptials of some of the nobility of the place. After some difficulty, occasioned by the absence of the chief, we were allowed to take our lodging in a com- mon Malay house, where we passed the night. The next day, we were obliged to remain where we were, because, not yet having seen the chief, we could not be per-
158 A JOURNEY
mitted to visit any place. We spent part of the day in making inquiries; and we were informed that the Jakuns living within the limits of the kingdom were not numerous ; two or three places only were mentioned as being frequented by a few families of them.
The second day after our arrival, having previously obtained the necessary licence, we went to meet the king at the wedding ; but we encountered him on the road about half way as he was returning home. He is a man of about sixty years of age, his ap- pearance is at first sight prepossessing; he appears respectable, simple and collected in manner. We accompanied him to the pa- lace , which, though one of the first buildings hi the place, would scarcely be called a house in Europe. In his march he was pre- ceded by a standard similar to that used by Musulmen, and by a great dignitary bear- ing the royal sword ; he was followed by
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 159
about fifteen men, armed with muskets of several kinds and calibers, and more or less in order; perhaps the greatest part of them would have been put in remotis in our European armies.
At the invitation of the sovereign we en- tered the yard of the palace, and we were soon after introduced into a large verandah , where the Court is habitually held. After a few minutes conversation, the chief gave order to bring our baggage into his house, and allowed us to visit the localities fre- quented by the Jakuns; we perceived how- ever that such excursions, as well as a long stay in the state, would be far from pleasing to him. The Rev. M"* Borie spent a part of the day in visiting the Jakuns, while I was detained at home by a shght indispo- sition. This circumstance gave me another opportunity of experiencing the unfortunate custom of that nation , in asking every thing which falls under their sight. The king
160 A JOURNEY
himself ceased his repeated demands only after I had given him some miserable dried fishes, and some clothes which he could scarcely use, being made in the European fashion. During the evening, I was witness to one of the most remarkable instances of Malay silliness which can be met with. At seven o'clock , the king , who a great part of the day had smoked opium, left his place, and went to the other extremity of the ve- randah, where, as I had remarked in the day-time, a cock was tied with a rope. The king then with his royal hand took the martial animal, and brought him to a place where he used to keep his Court, forming a miserable throne. I was near the place, preparing to sleep , when my curiosity was excited by the extraordinary fact which I will now relate. Opium having been pre- pared, and a pipe, a candle, and all the other necessaries to smoke it, having been brouglit in, his Majesty began a bombastic
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 161
discourse, in which he first endeavoured to show the great benefit that is produced by cock-fighting, and the remarkable pleasure enjoyed by witnesses of such combats; after which, he remarked that this amusement had much fallen into disuse in his state dur- ing the last few years, and this he lament- ed with sorroAv; and finally, opening his mind, he declared that his intention was to restore it in his dominion. This was his pur- pose in bringing up in his palace and by his own care the handsome cock he liad in his hand. The way of preparing this royal cock , in order to make of it a warrior, was one not a little curious ; this was practised be- fore me in the following manner and ac- companied by several superstitions. Having ended his discourse, the king took the head of the cock, passed its beak twice through the flame of the lamp , after which he made (lie animal walk six or seven steps, which was repeated six or seven times; this pre-
162 A JOURNEY
liminary ceremony being over, he dipped his fingers in the oil of the lamp , and rubb- ed the cock under the wings and upon the back, and then immediately commenced smoking opium; having inhaled the smoke of the drug in the ordinary manner, he blew it into the beak, the ears and upon every part of the body of the poor animal , which , though accustomed to that exercice, ap- peared not to take any peculiar pleasure in it.
This being finished, the same ceremony began a second and finally a third time, after which the cock was carried carefully to its ordinary place, and left there to pass the night under the influence of opium. The desire I had to sleep on account of my in- disposition made me see with satisfaction the end of this tedious ceremony. We were ten persons in the verandah , all lying pell- mell; several were already asleep, and 1 prepared to do the same, when, being pla-
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 163
ced near his Majesty, my attention was again excited by a spectacle of a new kind.
A large vase of earth , containing lighted charcoal, was brought by the great minister of state, and was set before the king. In the centre of the vase, another of the same kind, containing water, was placed, and in the centre of this was a candlestick with a lighted candle. Near to this were two other but smaller vases, one filled with flattened grains of rice, having the form of small white flowers, the second containing in- cense. The king, sitting with his legs cross- ed, began by delivering some formulary which I did not understand; he then made several salutations towards the lighted can- dle, took incense and poured it upon the fire, threw some of the flattened pieces of rice into the water, took the candle, and, turning the flame towards the ground, made several drops of wax fall into the water, and, having moved tlie candle as if
16A A JOURNEY
lie would form some written characters with it, lie placed it again upon the candlestick. All this ceremony was accompanied with the recitation of long formularies , some being delivered in a high voice, some in a low voice. The king spent about one hour in repeating three times over the whole of this ceremony, and finally he took the candle, and put its lighted end into the water; which ended the ceremony. Then his Majesty began again smoking opium until he smoked himself asleep. The next day, I asked my Malay coolies the meaning of such superstitious practices; they an- swered that it is a Malay physic, and that the king intended to cure his grandchild who was dangerously sick, a few miles further in the valley. They added that such remedies are much used by Malays against every kind of sickness. They appeared themselves to be convinced that the worst sickness cannot withstand it, if the cere-
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 165
mony is faithfully performed. It appears also that the way of bringing up cocks, by smoking opium, is much used by those of the Malays who are fond of cock-fighting.
The inhabitants of Johole appear the most savage Malays I have ever seen ; many of them possess a very bad appearance, and 1 think the place is not secure for Eu- ropeans ; however the people of the place are very timorous, and the slightest cir- cumstance frightens them. Our arrival caused a great agitation in all the country, and a few hours after a report had already spread abroad, that thirty armed Euro- peans had arrived in order to take the place. The evening of our arrival and the next day, all the state was in motion, and several hundred persons came in order to ascertain for themselves the truth of the report.
We left Johole on the thirteenth. After having walked through paddy fields for
i5.
166 A JOURNEY
about an hour and a half, we reached the mountains which separate the state of Jo- hole from that of Rumbau; we crossed them between Tamping and Beraga. These moun- tains, though entirely covered with jungle, present in several places a fine prospect, and offer to the consideration of the tra- veller several beautiful streams and rivulets carrying a limpid water amongst large stony blocks.
At three o'clock p. m. we found oursel- ves in the kingdom of Rumbau. This state stretches itself out in an extensive, plain, terminated on the South by the Company's territory, on the East by the mountains which bear its name, on the West by Sa- langore, and on the North by Sungey Ujong. This plain is in great part occupied by paddy fields , and inhabited by nine thousand souls , which is the amount of the whole popula- tion of the state. We walked in that plain two hours before we reached the house of
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 167
the chief, termed Panghulu, who resides at a place called Chunbong. We met that di- gnitary at our entering his house ; he is an intelligent looking person, of from forty to fifty years old, simple and free in his man- ners, and seems to be a Malay of good edu- cation. We were received by him with re- markable pohteness; a servant was at once appointed to attend upon us , and we were abundantly supplied with refreshments.
We had in that place an opportunity of observing the way in which justice is done in Malay countries. The usual hour at which the chief of Rumbau holds his Court and administers justice is about seven or eight o'clock at night; he fulfils this duty con- jointly with the high priest of the state.
On the day of our arrival, about the above mentioned hour, the chief or king went to the extremity of the verandah , to a place arranged somewhat in the fashion of a throne, where he placed himself in the
168 A JOURNEY
centre ; I was near him , on liis right hand , and tlie Rev. M' Borie on his left; the high priest stood outside the throne, and many persons placed themselves in the verandah. We had already spent about an hour in friendly conversation, when there arrived a dignitary of the state termed orang hesar, great man; he was accused of some mis- chief (it appears the affair was not of great importance). The two parties, complainant and defendant, made three prostrations, touching the ground with their heads, and came to kiss the hands of the king, after which they went to take their places at some distance before the throne.
They were both very kindly received by the king, who appeared to pay great atten- tion to the cause, hearing both parties in silence ; he afterwards put several questions to them , and , having recei ved their answers , he became exceedingly angry, assuredly ex- cited by horror at the mischief, and began
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 169
to cry out with all the strength of his lungs. The high priest, in imitation of him, began also to cry out no less liigh and strongly, so much so that for some time this made such noise and confusion, that I could not understand any thing of what was said by them; while the poor guilty man shewed by his humble countenance that he receiv- ed the reprimand with a deep humility.
The whole was ended by condemning the guilty party to pay a fine. As there were no more cases submitted to the Court for that day, our friendly conversation began again, during w^hich the high priest put to us several curious questions; for instance, speaking of the English East India Com- pany, he asked : rr Where is M** Company living ? n
As the information we obtained in the house of the chief, as well as in several houses of Rumbau, shewed that the Jakuns were there in very small numbers, and were
170' A JOURNEY
living far from the place where we were, we proposed to pursue our inquiries further, and to go to Sungey Ujong, another of the Menangkabaw states, at a distance of two days walk from Rumbau.
With much pleasure I will mention here that on the several occasions I stopped at Rumbau , I found the inhabitants very po- lite, hospitable and entirely inoffensive; they are assuredly the most civilized of all the Malays living outside of the Company's territory; at least according to my know- ledge.
On the fourteenth , we left Rumbau. After having walked for some time in paddy fields , we entered the jungle, where we journeyed all the rest of the day ; in the evening, we stopped at a small hut inhabited by a single man, where we passed the night.
On the fifteenth, about twelve o'clock, we reached the state of Sungey Ujong. We spent the afternoon in the village near the
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 171
river, where there are more than one hun- dred Malay and Chinese houses, and a market. We were informed that the chief of the state was living at Pantoy, a place about eight or nine miles further, and was then celebrating the rites of a triple mar- riage. Three persons of the royal blood, two children of the chief and another of his relations, were contracting marriage with three persons of the first families amongst their nobility. We were informed too that the wedding was one of the most solemn which could be found in a Malay country; fifty bufl'aloes were to be killed, and two thousand dollars to be expended in buying rice, fowls and other victuals, and also in gunpowder, which is much used in such solemnities; the feast was to last for two months, and had already begun some few days. As it is not possible, in a Malay country, to go to any place without having first obtained permission from the chief, we
172 A JOURNEY
look the next day our way to Pantoy in order to see him. We arrived at Pantoy at one o'clock in the afternoon, and at once we found ourselves surrounded by a number of kings, queens, princes, princesses, minis- ters of state, and officials of every rank, more than one hundred hadjis and Moham- medan priests, several hundred Malays of every kind, and a similar number of Chinese workers in the tin mines. The Jakuns them- selves had not been forgotten upon such an occasion : doubtless to prevent their re- sentment which could be followed bv the most fatal consequences to the fate of the new spouses, and possibly also in order to render the feast more solemn, they had been invited; nearly one hundred Jakuns were already come, and a greater number yet expected. We looked about us to find out in the middle of such a tumult some place where we could put up and place our things in security. Many houses had been
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 173
built for the occasion, but were already filled with people. There was a quarter ap- propriated for the lodgment of the Malay priests and hadjis; another for the common Malays, and a third for the use of Chinese. We turned towards the last, and were re- ceived by the Chinese whith the usual urba- nity and politeness characteristic of that nation. We entered the house of a Chinese, which we were immediately invited to do by the owner, a chief of the miners, who with kindness ceded to us the half of his lodging. After having cleaned our clothes a little (which were the ordinary lay dress of a gentleman, the sonton being too cum- bersome in such journeys), we asked that we might be allowed to see the king; we were then introduced into the palace, around which we perceived many tents pitched in several places; and in the middle of a large place, a high and rich tent, for the use of the new spouses, and communicating with
174 A JOURNEY
the royal house by a long covering which was extended and established a shaded passage between these two appartments. The whole was adorned with standards of every kind and with banderols of every co- lour, and presented a rural but agreeable aspect. We were then introduced into a tent which appeared to be one of those ap- plied to the service of the king. We had scarcely sat down, when the king himself entered, accompanied by his brother; both took their places in a part of the tent adorn- ed with draperies, forming a sort of throne. The king was dressed in a baju of red vel- vet with gold embroidery, a silk sarong of a brown colour, and trousers about the same, with a silk handkerchief surrounding his head; his brother had a violet velvet baju, a blue sarong, and the rest of his dress much about the same as the king's. After the usual forms of civility, we asked the necessary permission to visit several
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 175
piaces, to see the Jakuns. The king received the request with kindness, and allowed us to go wherever we chose within the boun- daries of his state ; and, after a few minutes of friendly conversation, he got up, saying to us , ff Come here , I will show you some Ja- kuns ;ti and took the Rev. M'' Borie by the hand. I followed them, accompanied by the king's brother. We went to a place where near one hundred persons, men, women and children, were huddled confusedly together, lying down under some old and miserable cart-house, separated from any other building; resembling the lepers of former times, wlio were bound to reside outside the gates of the cities. After hav- ing spent a few minutes in the visit we paid to these poor creatures, the king ac- companied us to our lodging, and then re- turned back to the palace. The afternoon was spent in receiving the numerous visits of a good part of the wedding guests, who
16
176 A JOURNEY
were desirous to see us , many of them having never before seen any European; for five or six hours, our house was full of people, and ourselves were exposed to the curiosity of the public, as extraordinary beings , and bothered by a multitude of te- dious questions. The Jakuns came according to their rank, and should, of course, all en- ter our house one after the other; several of them came repeatedly, and we under- stood that they wished to communicate some secret to us ; and in this we were not mistaken, for they came again in the even« ing, when they had watched that there were no Malays with us, and that we were alone. Then they opened themselves to us, showing us how unhappy they were in that place, and what bad treatment they expe- rienced from the Malays , so that only a few days before several of them had been killed or wounded by order of the Malay chief; they declared that they intended to escape
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 177
over into the Company's territory, where they hoped to find more tranquillity and assistance , and asked us to take them with us. Two of them besought us to receive them as servants for ever, or rather as slaves, as they intended not to receive any pay. I was much moved by such a mark of confidence; for I knew well that , by speaking so , they put their lives into our hands; for the men- tion of their design would have undoubt- edly been the cause of some fresh order for killing the first authors of this resolution, which would have been called a conspiracy. We gave a little advice to this poor people , who by their confidence showed that they already considered us as their fathers; and we postponed the consideration of this a flair to another day; as we intended shortly to return again.
As I have been, with a view to give notice of this occurrence, led to speak of a Malay feast, I will continue to relate the circum-
178 A JOURNEY
stances wiiich accompanied it for the short time we remained in that place. We slept there two nights, and were kindly treated by the king, who, wishing to make us par- taking of the feast, sent us every morning and evening, with his compliments, large pieces of buffaloes. Such was the daily order of the feast. At five o'clock a. m. the beginning of the day was announced by six canons, which were powerfully repeated by the echo of the mountains on either side of the valley ; a few instants after gun fire , began Malayan music, which scarcely ceased for a few moments during the whole of the day. About six or seven o'clock , a great quantity of rice and meat was distri- buted to all the guests. Then every one cooked and prepared his breakfast. The repast of the three bridegrooms and their brides was announced by a discharge of ar- tillery. Twelve o'clock was the time when they took their drive; which was performed
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 179
in the foHowing way. A large place in the forest had been cut and cleared for the pur- pose ; the spouses entered into a large cha- riot of the form of craft, brought on four massy wheels; this huge lump, instead of thills, had two long ropes formed of twisted tree roots, to which more than a hundred persons yoked themselves, and pulled it about crying out with all the strength of their lungs; the procession was accompanied by several artillery men who fired inces- santly. To such a noise and tumult you can add two choirs of music, one executed by Malays, consisting of about a dozen gongs and as many flutes; the other by Chinese, consisting of five or six gongs, a great number of cymbals, and many tamtams, all striking their instruments without tone or measure; and you will have an idea of the attractiveness of the party.
About three o'clock in the afternoon, a fresh distribution of victuals again took
16
180 A JOURNEY
place. At five o'clock, the new spouses took their bath, and during that time the Malay and Chinese musicians performed in the same way as during the drive. At six o'clock , more firing of canon , and then commenced gambling, Avhich was kept up nearly the whole night. In the behalf of the Chinese a place had been fited up for playing card and other games; whilst in the behalf of the Malays an other was appointed for re- citing Pantuns^ Several choirs of vocal music, accompanied by soft gongs, alterna- tely relieved each other, both day and night. On the morning following the second night after our arrival , we went to take leave of the king, and thank him for his kindness; and, leaving the place behind us, we heard yet for a long time from afar the continued noise of the feast, which had so power- fully stunned my ears, that the next day it was yet ringing in them. ' See the iiole. p. 187.
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 181
From Sungey Ujong we went to Jellabu ; this is the most considerable of the Men- angkabaw states with respect to the extent of the land, but one of the least important as for the population , which amounts only to the number of three thousand souls inhabiting a valley which runs from West to East. Great part of the Jellabu territory is mountainous and entirely covered with jungle, except the valley above mentioned, and 1 was told a few other small places where rice is cultivated. The river of Jel- labu , which falls into that of Pahang , begins to be navigable for small boats near the house of the lang Dipertuan of Jellabu. As this place is distant but two short days walk from the other place where the river of Sungey Ujong is also navigable, it follows that the easiest way to go from Malacca to Pahang across the Peninsula would be to go from Malacca to Sungey Ujong by the Lingy river, and from Jellabu to Pahang by
16..
182 A JOURNEY
the Jellabu river; but the journey could not be effected in a shorter time than twelve days, viz. from Malacca to Sungey Ujong six days walk , from Sungey Ujong to Jellabu two days , and from Jellabu to Pahang four or five days; but it is to be remarked that the mountains which separate Jellabu from Sungey Ujong render the communication between these two states very difficult, and I dare say dangerous, on account both of the steepness of the mountains and meet- ing with numerous precipices.
The dull sight of the road which pre- sents itself to the traveller when journeying upon these mountains, seems to announce before hand the melancholy prospect of the country which lies behind. The soil of Jellabu is one of the poorest I have met with in the Malayan Peninsula ; the valley I have before mentioned is itself barren in many places, and by no means presents an agreeable look. The difficulty of commu-
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 183
nication between that state and the neigh- bouring ones renders it entirely solitary ; and its great distance both from the sea of Siam and from the Straits of Malacca makes its commerce of very little import- ance; it appears however that some tin mines are worked there, the produce of which finds its way to the Pahang marked by the river.
On our arrival at Jellabu, we called upon the lang Dipertuan, commonly nam- ed the Sultan.
We could not see him at that moment; several superstitious practices which were then performed, on the occasion of the Sultans son being sick, prevented our being allowed to enter the premises till the evening. We remarked that all the doors by which the kampong was entered bore at their upper part a range of lanceolated leaves of a yellowivsh colour; the object of which, according to the explanation given
184 A JOURNEY
to US by the Malays, was to prevent the sickness from entering the Sultan's pre- mises; the fact proved that these barriers were an insufficient guard against sickness, since it has not only entered in spite of these fruitless precautions, but had even attacked so severely the Sultan's son; but in return it was obliged to pay dear for the guilt of its unlawful entrance : several persons from time to time took brooms and struck the air, intending to chastise and trying to cast out this obstinate and trou- blesome guest; long formularies were also delivered, but I could not understand the meaning of them, nor remark exactly the other superstitions which were perform- ed on this occasion. We stood outside pre- paring and taking our dinner. About six o'clock being called by the Sultan, we were admitted to an audience in the verandah; the Mohammedan priest of the place and many other persons were present. The Sul-
IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES. 185
tan was dressed in red silk pantaloons Jaced with gold, and in a baju of a brown co- lour. After having stated the purpose of our journey, we entered into a friendly conver- sation, which, changing from one topic to another, fell finally upon the Mohammedan religion. Though the Sultan is a disciple of Mohammed, he appears to have very little confidence in the supposed prophet ; the way in which he ridiculed several Mohammedan laws and customs shows that he pays very little attention to the practices which are so religiously kept by other Malays. The Malay priest appeared to be much dissatis- fied with the behaviour of the Sultan on this subject, though he did not reply by any objection ; his silence possibly was the effect of his incapacity, for I remarked, in conver- sation I had with him, that he was a very stupid man. However, I am very far from approving the conduct of the Sultan on that occasion. In my humble opinion , when
186 A JOURNEY IN THE MENANGKABAW STATES.
we see our neighbour in error, or in what we think error, it is by reasoning, and not by laughing, we must undertake to shew him the truth , and try to draw him away from his error, since experience proves that the contrary way has ordinarily no other effect, but to excite anger and to increase prejudices, by which his state will become more pitiful.
We passed the night in the place where we had received audience. The next day, we inquired about the Jakuns and we saw a few of them. After which, having consi- dered that our provisions both of money and of victuals were nearly ended, we pro- posed to return back to Malacca , where we arrived in five days, on the 2 4th of July, being the eighteenth day after our depar- ture from that place.
NOTE
The jOi' Pantun, which is also named c^jL seloka, is a species of Malay poetry consisting of four short lines alternately rhyming; it is always sententious and epigrammatic. The first two lines of the quatrain contain sometimes one, but oftener two unconnected images, whilst the latter two are moral or sentimental.
Often the Malays recite Pantuns in alternate contest for several hours ; the preceding Pantun always furnishing the catchword to that which follows, until one of the parties he silenced or vanquished.
188 . NOTE.
SPECIMEN OF THE PANTUN.
(From Marsden.)
to-jJiS tO-^ 3^ (3rJ^ 'S3)' ^;t^=a^ ^^fl^w Jj-5b3 ^3 j,U-ft_i «u'U». t33 (^yji t3> (jcx^-s^ ^y>" ;y*J ^;j^
Butterflies sport on the wing around, They fly to the sea by the reef of rocks.
My heart has felt uneasy in my breast, From former days to the present hour.
They fly to the sea by the reef of rocks.
The vulture wings its flight to Bandan. From former days to the present hour,
Many youths have I admired.
i
NOTE. 189
The vulture wings its flight to Bandan,
Dropping its feathers at Patani. Many youths have I admired,
But none to compare with my present choice.
His feathers he let fall at Patani.
A score of young pigeons. No youth can compare with my present choice.
Skilled as he is to touch the heart.
THE END.
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