Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP, VI SAKA! {'BLANDAS') 273
The story runs on in this way to a great length.
The Penghulu of Inas (a small semi-independent
district of Johol) came into possession of the wooden
chopping-board on which the bats were cut up at
" Shake-Net Island," and a spoon of old Sakai make,
manufactured from the skull of a bat/
The Sakai at that time had no fixed boundaries,
such as now exist. These are of later date, and were
originated by the Malays.
Eventually the last - born son of Hang Tuah
became Batin of Sungei Ujong, and since that time
the Sakai consider all the land which now belongs
to Sungei Ujong, Klang (Selangor), Johol, and
Malacca as their own especial fatherland.
After Hang Tuah and his race had died out the
Sakai never had a regularly elected Batin again.
When a number of Sakai wished to found a new
settlement they chose a Batin for themselves ;
there
was, however, no head Batin who could confirm the
new appointment, and thus the power of the Batin
shrank and his duties also, so that at last each man
of the community was almost his equal.
From another side arose a power superior even to
that of the Malays, viz. the Beduanda, who very
quickly became the masters of the Sakai.
As the Malays flocked into the country In in-
creasing numbers to seek for land, they merely
communicated with the chief of the Beduanda, between
whom and the Sakai Batin there was at first
still some sort of understanding, but after a time the
Beduanda chief ceased to consult the Sakai Batin,
and gave his Malay kinsmen all that they wished by
virtue of his own authority."
1 V,-St. ii. 87, 88. Cp. the Jelebu regalia, p. 291, infra. 2 ji^{j_ ^ gg_
VOL. II T