Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SAKAI OF PERAK 209
as being worked on the bow principle, is the Malay
" b'lantek terbang," or " Hying spring-spear."
I do not, however, give Hale's description, as he
states that the Sakai professed " utter ignorance " of it.'
All three forms of the spring-spear-trap described
are, however, certainly known to and used by the
Peninsular Malays, though it may be an open question
whether the Malays or the aboriginal tribes were the
first to employ it.
Of ordinary snares or springes (for animals and
birds) Hale says that they are made of rattan by the
Sakai and variously set ; the most usual form being
a simple rattan noose set taut by a stout wooden
spring :
with
these they catch rats, squirrels, and
animals as large as the porcupine.
Bird-lime is also employed. The sap of a " gutta-
tree " is boiled down until it attains the required
consistency, when it is applied to a number of thin
slips of rattan, these slips being thickly planted over
the ground to catch small birds : of some gregarious
sorts, like the little padi-bird, great numbers are
taken.'
Fishing.
Perak Sakai.— Of the Kinta Sakai Hale says that
they do not trouble themselves about fishing until
their vegetable food is on the point of exhaustion.
They live on the mountain -tops, and do not go
down to the big rivers for fish unless forced to do so
by scarcity of food.^ Once in about three months
they will make a journey to one of the big rivers, and
there, by means of fish-dams,^ etc., obtain a large
' Hale, p. 290. - //'. ' lb. p. 291. ^ lb,
'" Cp. Ue M. in L'H. ii. 653.
VOL. I I'
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