Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

MALAYAN SEA-GYPSIES 53
tribe died of the effects. It was ascertained that the
knives used for the purpose had been accidentally
placed in a vessel containing upas poison (" ipoh "),
the poison with which their blowpipe arrows are
habitually tipped ; and from that time forward the
observance of the rite was discontinued,^
Corroboration of the foregoing account may be
obtained from the statement of Logan, who in
writing of the Benua (or Jakun) of Johor, remarks
that circumcision was not practised by them. A
single incision or slit was made by the Benua, but
not by the Berembun tribes."^
Names were sometimes given at birth, but these
were changed at the age of puberty. The teeth
were filed like those of the Malays and the Berembun
tribes.^
Orang Laut or Sea-Jakun.
Orang Laut, S'letar.—Of the Orang S'letar we are
informed by Thomson that they did not practise circum-
cision, nor any other Mohammedan customs. It was,
moreover, related to Thomson that many years ago
when they had a Malay as their great chief or Batin,
all the men now of the tribe were induced to undergo
the rite of circumcision, though such a practice was
no longer conformed with.^ This is probably a refer-
ence to some such story as that related above by
Hervey.
Orang- Laut, Sabimba.—Of this Orang Laut tribe
we are told that they were not in the habit of filing
^ Hervey m J. R. A. S.,'bio. 8, pp. but this was probably a borrowed
118, 119; cp. p. 544, ante. custom. Ear - boring was rarely
^ Logan in J. I. A. vol. i. p. practised by the men, and the lips and
271. nose were never pierced (Z. f. E.
^ According to Vaughan - Stevens, xxix. 180).
the Jakun used to blacken their teeth, * /. /. A. vol. i. p. 344*.