the golden chersonese and the way thither-第4节

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Peninsula　was　peopled　by　a　Malay　emigration　from　Sumatra　about　the
middle　of　the　twelfth　century；　and　that　the　descendants　of　these
colonists　settled　Malacca　and　other　places　on　the　coast　about　a　century
later。　Tradition　refers　the　peopling　of　the　interior　States　to　another
and　later　migration　from　Sumatra；　with　a　chief　at　its　head；　who；　with
all　his　followers；　married　Aboriginal　wives；　the　Aboriginal　tribes
retreating　into　the　jungles　and　mountains　as　the　Malays　spread
themselves　over　the　region　now　known　as　the　States　of　the　Negri
Sembilan。　The　conquest　or　colonization　of　the　Malay　Peninsula　by　the
Malays　is　not；　however；　properly　speaking；　matter　of　history；　and　the
origin　of　the　Malay　race　and　its　early　history　are　only　matters　of　more
or　less　reasonable　hypothesis。　It　is　fair；　however；　to　presume　that
Sumatra　was　the　ancient　seat　of　the　race；　and　the　wonderful　valley　of
Menangkabau；　surrounded　by　mountains　ten　thousand　feet　in　height；　that
of　its　earliest　civilization。　The　only　Malay　〃colonial〃　kingdoms　on　the
Peninsula　which　ever　attained　any　importance　were　those　of　Malacca　and
Johore；　and　even　their　reliable　history　begins　with　the　arrival　of　the
Portuguese。　The　conversion　of　the　Sumatra　Malays　to　Mohammedanism　arose
mainly　out　of　their　commercial　intercourse　with　Arabia；　it　was　slow；
not　violent；　and　is　supposed　to　have　begun　in　the　thirteenth　century。

A　population　of　〃Wild　Tribes；〃　variously　estimated　at　from　eight
thousand　to　eleven　thousand　souls；　is　still　found　in　the　Peninsula；　and
even　if　research　should　eventually　prove　them　not　to　be　its　Aborigines；
they　are；　without　doubt；　the　same　races　which　were　found　inhabiting　it
by　the　earliest　Malay　colonists。

These　are　frequently　called　by　the　Malays　〃Orang　Benua；〃　or　〃men　of　the
country；〃　but　they　are　likewise　called　〃Orang…outang；〃　the　name　which
we　apply　to　the　big　ape　of　Borneo。　　The　accompanying　engraving
represents　very　faithfully　the　〃Orang…outang〃　of　the　interior。　The　few
accounts　given　of　the　wild　tribes　vary　considerably；　but　apparently
they　may　be　divided　into　two　classes；　the　Samangs；　or　Oriental　Negroes
or　Negritos　and　the　Orang　Benua；　frequently　called　Jakuns；　and　in　Perak
Sakei。　By　the　Malays　they　are　called　indiscriminately　Kafirs　or
infidels；　and　are　interesting　to　them　only　in　so　far　as　they　can　use
them　for　bearing　burdens；　clearing　jungle；　procuring　gutta；　and　in
child…stealing；　an　abominable　Malay　custom；　which；　it　is　hoped；　has
received　its　death…blow　in　Perak　at　least。

The　Samangs　are　about　the　same　height　as　the　Malays；　but　their　hair；
instead　of　being　lank　and　straight　like　theirs；　is　short　and　curly；
though　not　woolly　like　that　of　the　African　negro；　and　their
complexions；　or　rather　skins；　are　of　a　dark　brown；　nearly　black。　Their
noses；　it　is　said；　incline　to　be　flat；　their　foreheads　recede；　and
their　lips　are　thick。　They　live　in　rude　and　easily　removable　huts　made
of　leaves　and　branches；　subsist　on　jungle　birds；　beasts；　roots；　and
fruits；　and　wear　a　scanty　covering　made　from　the　inner　bark　of　a
species　of　Artocarpus。　They　are　expert　hunters；　and　have　most　ingenious
methods　of　capturing　both　the　elephant　and　the　〃recluse　rhinoceros。〃
They　are　divided　into　tribes；　which　are　ruled　by　chiefs　on　the
patriarchal　system。　Of　their　customs　and　beliefs；　if　they　have　any；
almost　nothing　is　known。　They　are　singularly　shy；　and　shun　intercourse
with　men　of　other　races。　It　has　been　supposed　that　they　worship　the
sun。

The　Orang　Benua　or　Orang…outang；　frequently　called　Sakeis　or　Jakuns；
consist　of　various　tribes　with　different　names；　thinly　scattered　among
the　forests　of　the　chain　of　mountains　which　runs　down　the　middle　of　the
Peninsula　from　Kedah　to　Point　Romania。*　In　appearance　and　color　they
greatly　resemble　the　Malays；　and　there　is　a　very　strong　general
resemblance　between　their　dialects　and　pure　Malayan。　They　have
remarkably　bright　and　expressive　eyes；　with　nothing　Mongolian　about
their　internal　angles；　and　the　forehead　is　low　rather　than　receding。
The　mouth　is　wide　and　the　lips　are　large；　the　lower　part　of　the　face
projects；　the　nose　is　small；　the　nostrils　are　divergent；　and　the　cheek
bones　are　prominent。　The　hair　is　black；　but　it　often　looks　rusty　or
tawny　from　exposure　to　the　sun；　against　which　it　is　their　only
protection。　It　is　very　abundant　and　long；　and　usually　matted　and　curly；
but　not　woolly。　They　have　broad　chests　and　very　sturdy　muscular　limbs。
They　are；　however；　much　shorter　in　stature　than　the　Malays；　the　men　in
some　of　the　tribes　rarely　exceeding　four　feet　eight　inches　in　height；
and　the　women　four　feet　four。　Their　clothing　consists　of　a　bark　cloth
waist…cloth。　Some　of　the　tribes　live　in　huts　of　the　most　primitive
description　supported　on　posts；　while　others；　often　spoken　of　as　the
〃tree　people；〃　build　wigwams　on　platforms；　mainly　supported　by　the
forking　branches　of　trees；　at　a　height　of　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet。
These　wild　people；　says　Mr。　Daly；　lead　a　gregarious　life；　rarely
remaining　long　in　one　place　for　fear　of　their　wives　and　children　being
kidnapped　by　the　Malays。　They　fly　at　the　approach　of　strangers。　As　a
rule；　their　life　is　nomadic；　and　they　live　by　hunting；　fishing；　and　on
jungle　fruits。　They　are　divided　into　tribes　governed　by　elders。　They
reverence　the　sun；　but　have　no　form　of　worship；　and　are　believed　to　be
destitute　of　even　the　most　rudimentary　ideas　of　religion。　Their　weapon
is　the　sumpitan；　a　blow…gun；　from　which　poisoned　arrows　are　expelled。
They　have　no　ceremonies　at　birth；　marriage；　or　death。　They　are
monogamists；　and；　according　to　Mr。　Syers；　extremely　affectionate。　One
of　their　strongest　emotions　is　fear；　and　their　timidity　is　so　great
that　they　frequently　leave　the　gutta　which　they　have　collected　at　the
foot　of　the　tree；　not　daring　to　encounter　the　trader　from　whom　they
expect　some　articles　in　exchange；　while　the　fear　of　ridicule；　according
to　Mr。　Maxwell；　keeps　them　far　from　the　haunts　of　the　Malays。　　
＇*I　was　so　fortunate　as　to　see　two　adult　male　Jakuns　and　one　female；　but
my　information　respecting　them　is　derived　chiefly　from　Mr。　Syers；
Superintendent　of　Police　in　Selangor；　and　from　Mr。　Maxwell；　the
Assistant…Resident　in　Perak。＇

The　Rayet；　or　Orang　Laut；　〃subjects；〃　or　men　of　the　sea；　inhabit　the
coast　and　the　small　islets　off　the　coast；　erecting　temporary　sheds　when
they　go　ashore　to　build　boats；　mend　nets；　or　collect　gum　dammar　and
wood　oil；　but　usually　living　in　their　boats。　They　differ　little　from
the　Malays；　who；　however；　they　look　down　upon　as　an　inferior　race；
except　that　they　are　darker　and　more　uncouth　looking。　　They　have　no
religious　（！）　beliefs　but　in　the　influence　of　evil　spirits；　to　whom　at
times　they　perform　a　few　propitiatory　rites。　Many　of　them　become
Mohammedans。　They　live　almost　entirely　upon　fish。　They　are　altogether
restless　and　impatient　of　control；　but；　unlike　some　savages；　are
passionately　fond　of　music；　and　are　most　ingenious　in　handicrafts；
specially　in　boat…building。

The　Chinese　in　the　Peninsula　and　on　the　small　islands　of　Singapore　and
Pinang　are　estimated　at　two　hundred　and　forty　thousand；　and　their
numbers　are　rapidly　increasing；　owing　to　direct　immigration　from　China。
It　is　by　their　capital；　industry；　and　enterprise　that　the　resources　of
the　Peninsula　are　being　developed。　The　date　of　their　arrival　is
unknown；　but　the　Portuguese　found　them　at　Malacca　more　than　three
centuries　ago。　They　have　been　settled　in　Pinang　and　Singapore　for
ninety…three　and　sixty…three　years　respectively；　but　except　that　they
have　given　up　the　barbarous　custom　of　crushing　the　feet　of　girls；　they
are；　in　customs；　dress；　and　habits；　the　exact　counterparts　of　the
Chinese　of　Canton　or　Amoy。　Many　of　them　have　become　converts　to
Christianity；　but　this　has　not　led　to　the　discarding　of　their　queues　or
national　costume。　The　Chinese　who　are　born　in　the　Straits　are　called
Babas。　The　immigrant　Chinese；　who　are　called　Sinkehs；　are　much　despised
by　the　Babas；　who　glory　specially　in　being　British…born　subjects。　　The
Chinese　promise　to　be　in　some　sort　the　commercial　rulers　of　the
Straits。

The　Malays　proper　inhabit　the　Malay　Peninsula；　and　almost　all　the　coast
regions　of　Borneo　and　Sumatra。　They　all　speak　more　or　less　purely　the
Malay　language；　they　are　all　Mohammedans；　and　they　all　write　in　the
Arabic　character。　　Their　color　is　a　lightish；　olive…tinted；　reddish
brown。　　Their　hair　is　invariably　black；　straight；　and　coarse；　and　their
faces　and　bodies　are　nearly　hairless。　They　have　broad　and　slightly　flat
faces；　with　high　cheek　bones；　wide　mouths；　with　broad　and　shapely　lips；
well　formed　chins；　low　foreheads；　black　eyes；　oblique；　but　not　nearly
so　much　so　as　those　of　the　Chinese；　and　smallish　noses；　with　broad　and
very　open　nostrils。　They　vary　little　in　their　height；　which　is　below
that　of　the　average　European。　Their　frames　are　lithe　and　robust；　their
chests　are　broad；　their　hands　are　small　and　refined；　and　their　feet　are
thick　and　short。　The　men　are　not　handsome；　and　the　women　are　decidedly
ugly。　　Both　sexes　look　old　very　early。

The　Malays　undoubtedly　must　be　numbered　among　civilized　peoples。　They
live　in　houses　which　are　more　or　less　tasteful　and　secluded。　They　are
well　clothed　in　garments