Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SA VA GE A/A LA YS OF JOHOR 235
those adopted by the Malays. He mentions, how-
ever, that both races had very superstitious ideas
regarding the collection of camphor. When engaged
in searching for it they abstained from certain kinds
of food, ate a little earth, and used a kind of artificial
language, which was called the " Camphor Language "
(" bhasa kapor "). This language Logan found to be
the same on the Sedili, the Endau, and the Batu Pahat.
From specimens which he subjoined it appears that
most of the words are formed from the Malayan, in
many cases by a mere periphrasis, such as "grass-
fruit" for "rice," "far-sounder" for "gun," "short-
legs " for " hog," " leaves " for " hair," etc'
It was believed that if care were not taken to use
this " Camphor Language," great difficulty would be
experienced in finding camphor trees, and that when
found the camphor would not yield itself to the
collector. Whatever may have been the origin of
this superstition, it was evidently based on the fact
that although camphor trees were abundant, it very
frequently happened that no camphor could be ob-
tained from them. "Were it otherwise," said an old
Jakun, who was singularly free from superstition.
" camphor is so valuable that not a single full-grown
tree would be left in the forest." Camphor was not
collected by the Berembun tribes, at least on the
western side of the Peninsula, and they were, there-
fore, unacquainted with this Camphor Language.
But the present sketch of the Jakun trade in
jungle produce would be incomplete were no reference
made to the regular organisation established by the
Malays for the purpose of exploiting their unsuspect-
ing neighbours.
^
J. I. A. vol. i. pp. 263, 264. * fb. pp. 265, 266.
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