Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

17
HABITATIONS
Shelters of this type are also largely used by the
Malays for temporary purposes, especially in the
eastern states of the Peninsula.
Pangan.—The next stage would appear to be that of
the round or bee-hive hut. In the interior of Kelantan
(near Kampong Buntal in Ulu Aring), Mr. Laidlaw
and I visited several of these curious habitations. One
that we photographed was a hemispherical leaf-
shelter, very slenderly constructed, the materials em-
ployed being leaves of the "bertam" palm (^Etigeissona)
and a Rattan or Calamus called " Rotan Dudok." The
bases of the leaf-stalks were firmlyplanted in the ground,
the upper ends of the leaves bending naturally over so as
to protect about one-half of the hut-Hoor from the rain.
The leaves planted round the circumference of the
semicircle at the back of the shelter were of full length,
but a slight fence of shorter leaves, about 2 feet (60 cm.)
high, completed the circumference. At the back of
the hut was the usual big abattis or chevaiix-de-frise
of felled trees, which is very generally formed by these
people for protection against wild beasts.
A slightly different type of hut was seen on the
banks of the Tahan river by Mr. Ridley in 1891. The
huts themselves consisted of a bee-hive-shaped structure
of palm-leaves about 4 feet (1.2 m.) high, the bases of
the leaves planted in the ground and their upper parts
interwoven together. So far the structure was similar
to those already described, but these particular huts
" were completely filled with palm-leaves, in the midst
of which could be seen the depression caused by the
occupant when he curled himself up in them " either for
weather by a few branches or leaves stuck in the gr(;un