Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

212 Journal of the P. M.S. Museums. [Vol. VI,
thrust through the hole. Both men and women among the
Hill Sakai wear their hair short, but the latter grow a small
tuft at the back of the head like the women of the Semang
tribes.
It is not necessary to say very much regarding the dress
of the tribe. Malay pattern sarongs or T bandages of European
cloth were the usual costume of the men, while most of the
women wore short sarongs of red twill which reached from the
waist to a iittle below the knees. Necklaces of beads were in
favour among the women, and, to a less extent, among the
men, the women's necklaces being long loops reaching to the
waist, while the mens' consisted of a string of beads tied tightly
round the neck with the long ends hanging down in front.
Head-fillets of twisted vegetable fibre were commonly worn by
the men. The bamboo combs used by the women were generally
decorated with scratched-in patterns, but in one specimen
that I saw the outer skin of the bamboo had been partly
removed after the Semang fashion. I secured one very pretty
little comb which was 10.2 cms. in length, but had a breadth of
only 1.7 cms. both the top and the teeth, of which there were
seven, being covered with neatly etched patterns. Other
objects of dress, which I obtained, were a couple of necklaces,
one of small, white seeds, the other of white and black seeds
strung alternately, and a crown-like headdress of green and
yellow leaves similar in construction to a specimen which I
bought from the Jehehr.
Before speaking of the agriculture of the tribe I will give
a short description of the only type of house seen. On the
journey from Temengoh along the Lasah bridle path Sakai
were first met with at Kuala Jinaheng (Jermahing) where we
camped out for the night. Their house was not visited, since
it was some distance away, and was stated to be only a
temporary abode, while I was anxious to push on the next
morning to another settlement, said to consist of a single
communal house. This house, about which I found the information
received to be perfectly correct, was situated on a
rising ground near a small stream, and was surrounded by a
very considerable clearing. We also passed a similar type of
dwelling on a hill above the bridle path after leaving Kuala
Jinaheng, but it was newly built, and the Sakai had not yet
moved into it from their old clearing, which was a long way
off. The communal house, near which I camped for the night,
(PI. XXXni Fig. i) was raised on posts to a minimum height
often feet from the ground ;
breadth nineteen feet.
its length was forty-nine, and its
Entrj^ was obtained by a main ladder
at one end of the house and a couple of subsidiary ladders
against the side walls at the other end of the building. These
ladders were constructed of a number of large bamboos or
small tree-trunks placed side by side with steps of bamboo or
wood lashed across them. A very large amount of bamboo
was used in the construction of the dwelling, the rafters,