Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. IV SAVAGE MALAYS OF JOHOR iiy
was laid on the top of the grave, and thus formed a
sort of enclosure, within the precincts of which were
placed, for the use of the deceased, a coconut-shell to
drink from, a torch ("damar") fixed in a rattan stand
("kaki"), an adze handle, and a cooking-pan ("kwali").
Outside this framework was suspended an " ambong "
(which is a back-basket with shoulder-straps, made of
the bark of " meranti " or some other kind of tree) for
the deceased to carry his firewood in. Close by the
tomb of the Juru-krah was that of his niece, between
which and the former there were three points of differ-
ence to be noted : the first was that the framework on
the top of the niece's grave consisted of but three hori-
zontal timbers instead of four {forming a total of twelve
beams instead of sixteen) ; the second, that one of
the ornamental head-pieces was roughly shaped like a
human figure, whilst the other resembled the " nesan "
of her uncle ;
the third, that the only objects inside the
framework were a coconut-shell, a torch and torch-
stand, and a little sugar-cane. Not far distant was a site
marked off for a child's grave, by means of a coconut-
shell and some cloth hung upon sticks. I n another direc-
tion was the half-finished grave of another child, the
lower framework being already in position, whilst the
earth had been loosely heaped up in the enclosed space,
and a small framework, intended for the top, lay close by.^
Orang Laut or Sea-jakun.
Orang- Laut, Sletap.—At death the deceased (of
the Sletar tribe) were wrapped in their garments
and committed to the parent earth. " The women
weep a little and then leave the spot," were the simple
words of the narrator of the ceremony.^
1 Hervey in /. R. A. S., S. B., No. 8, pp. 97, 98. "- /. /. J. vol. i. p. 344*.