Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. I NEGRITOS OF KEDAH 117
free from the discoloration which necessarily accom-
panies the custom referred to.^
Semang- and Pangan—Perak Semang-.—On the other
hand, both Semang and Pangan (East Semang) are
(like all the wild tribes of the Peninsula) inordinately
fond of tobacco. They carry it in a small but beauti-
fully decorated bamboo tube, a specimen of which I
obtained in Ulu Kelantan. Some of the more civilised
tribes are said to grow their own tobacco. Almost
invariably, however, they obtain it by barter from the
Malays, as do also the Semang of Perak.
1 1.
—
Sakai.
Food and its Preparation.
Perak Sakai. — The wilder Sakai tribes (Sakai
Bukit), like the Semang, live upon wild tubers, roots,
and fruits, together with the llesh of animals and birds
that fall victims to the darts shot from their blowpipe.
They do not as a rule search for game until every-
thing else fails. ^ They will, however, eat almost
any sort of animal food, and the land tortoise is as
acceptable to them as to the Karens of Martaban.^
To both these classes of food must be added,
among the more settled tribes, the produce of their
gardens, which includes maize, sugar-cane, tapioca,
sweet potatoes, yams, rice, and many plants which can
be cultivated as catch crops. A curious fact recorded
of them is that they do not make use of salt.'' This
' Mr. L. Wray tells me that in ^ Hale, p. 295 ; see also De la Croix,
Upper Perak he saw some Semang- p. 340.
Sakai (from the Plus) burning fresh- *
J. I. A. vol. iv. water shells to make lime for their betel.
p. 430.
' lb. vol. iv. p. 429. To this list
^ J. I. A. vol. iv. pp. 425, 426. of plants millet must be added.
^