Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. IV SAVAGE MALAVS OF SELANGOR 109
over the body, so as to protect the latter from
falHng earth during the re-fiUing of the grave-pit/
The earth was now filled in and four poles put down
rectagonally to mark the edges of the grave. Then
two of the elder men took their stand on the opposite
sides of the grave, and each in turn held out at about
the height of his breast a couple of jungle knives
(choppers) horizontally crossed. These each of these
two men let fall (still crossed) seven times running
upon the centre of the grave (where the girl's breast
would be)—a strange custom, of which those present
would only tell me that they did it in order that their
own lives might not be endangered, but which (as
other Besisi afterwards more fully explained to me)
was intended to fix the deceased's ghost in the tomb,
and keep it from feeding upon the living.
The elders then planted round the edges of the
grave some yams (Bes. "yet"), some roots of the
citronella or fragrant lemon grass (Mai. " serai "),
some roots of the sweet potato (Bes. " tila' " or
" hila' "), and some roots of a purple-leaved plant—
kind of coleus (Bes. " torek " = Malay, " ati-ati ").
Next the seed-rice was taken out of the hut and
sown broadcast over the grave. Water was sprinkled
over it, and I was told that the rice wa« to serve
when it grew up for the deceased's soul to live upon.
Finally the deceased's garment (" sarong "), the two
mats, and the strips of selvage were collected together
and consumed to ashes in a small fire which had
been kept burning since the ceremony commenced.
I must add that, as it was approaching mid-day
before the preparations at the grave were complete,
^ No doubt in imitation of the Malay form of burial, known as " papan sa'
keping " (the single plank).