Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

igi5.] I. H. N. Evans: Various Aboriginal Tribes. 103
node, separating the two internodes of bamboo of which the
outer case is formed. The quivers seen, with one exception,
were without covers of any kind, the Jakuns saying that they
were too la^y to make them. In the one complete specimen,
the sides of the cover werernade of plaited rattan and the top
of a piece of wood, flat above, but with a conical projection on
the under surface, which fitted into a space in the centre of the
quiver, inside the dart holders. The darts were short, as is
generally the case in Negri Sembilan. The poison for the dart
points was said to be made of getah ipoJi obtained from the
Kayas tree (Antiaris toxicaria) and from akar tengah (?), a kind
of liana.
OBJECTS COLLECTED.
As remarked above the tribes visited proved to have few
objects of interest to a collector and the only specimens
obtained at Titi Ramei were a single blow-pipe, a quiver
without a cover, two snares of fine cord made from the bark of
the Terap tree (Artocarpus Kunstleri), a chapeng (little girls' fig
leaf) made from a piece of a tortoise shell and a bamboo flute
with three stops. The nose flute is not used.
FIRE MAKING.
The only method of making fire which the Pertang people
know, other than by cheap matches purchased at the Chinese
shops, is by flint and steel. One man said that he had once
tried to make fire with a rattan saw and a piece of soft wood,
but had been unsuccessful.
RELIGION AND SUPERSTITIONS.
The Pertang aborigines seem to have no belief in any
supreme Deity of their own, though they know of the Malays'
Tulian Allah. They are, however, much afraid of what they
call Punan, which seems to be a personification of all the ills
which may befall them in the jungle. Before starting on a
journey it is necessary to burn incense to Punan and the man
who cooks for the rest of the party in the jungle must also
burn a little incense each time he prepares food ; while if a
stranger passes when cooking is going on he must take a little
rice or water from the pot and call Punan to partake of the
offering that he is making, at the same time smearing the rice
or water on the back of his neck or on his left forearm. If
Punan is not appeased, some calamity is sure to happen, the
person or persons who have failed to make the customary
offerings, will suffer from fever, or swellings in the groin, or
will be bitten by snakes or centipedes. It is said that Punan
stabs those who have offended him (and thus causes their
illness).
The semangat padi or rice soul is said to be taken where
hill padi is planted, an old woman going into the crop before
reaping commences and cutting seven ears. Three days after
September, 1915. 5