Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

328 NATURAL RELIGION AND FOLK-LORE part in
Operate. Many persons, by supernatural skill, or by
counter-spells or charms, surround themselves with an
invisible fence or wall, which not only renders the
spell inoperative, but even prevents the magician from
seeing their image in the water. The use of invoca-
tions and charms of this and other kinds to avert evils
and counteract evil powers, both natural and super-
natural, to nullify incantations, to inflict maladies and
calamities, and to excite love and regard, is common.
The first kind of these invocations consist, in general,
of " Inwalling " charms (Mai. " pendinding "), called by
the Malays " Do'a pendinding," or Inwalling prayers^
from the Malay " dinding," a wall—which must be
repeated seven times at sunrise and seven times at
sunset. Examples of these charms as used for pro-
tection against the maleficence of various enemies are
given below.
Forms of Disease, Medicines, Drugs, Amulets, etc.
The fatal diseases most prevalent among the
Mantra are sickness from "pointing" (" sakit mati
di-tuju orang "), sickness from unsatisfied "cravings"
("sakit punan "), sickness from " barah sisip," and
sickness from "barah terkilir " (two kinds of abscess).
Mineral medicines are unknown, and the only
animal substance used as a remedy is the oil of the
boa-constrictor.^
Amulets are much used. They are composed of
pieces of turmeric (" kunyit ") or " bunglei," and other
substances which are strung on a shred of artocarpus
(" t'rap ") bark, and worn round the neck, wrists, or
• The proper meaning is "the in- - /. /. A. vol. i. pp. 308, 309. Cp.
wailing invocation or charm."' Borie, I.e. ^ Ibid. p. 330*.