Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. VI NEGRITOS OF PERAK 289
some poison some time back on the banks of the
Plus.^
After describing further experiments with the
poison, Sir H. Low remarks that Lela Perkasa had
assured him that the sap of the Ipoh creeper, when
not quite fresh (as in the previous day's experiments),
could not produce so rapid an effect as that which had
been prepared the same morning.
Lela Perkasa further stated that the sap of the
Ipoh^ was absolutely innocuous until it had been
heated as above described. When a stronger poison
is required, the sap of the Ipoh is mixed with sap
obtained from the roots of a plant called " lekir
(" lekyer "—a common Amorphophalhts). A tenth
part of this latter added to the mixture will make the
poison strong enough to kill a rhinoceros or a tiger ;
if it merely touches the skin it will raise a blister, and
hence they are afraid to keep it ready-made for fear of
accidents. There is another plant called "gadong,"
which is described as a species of wild yam, and
whose sap increases the activity of the poisonous
principle of Ipoh ;
'
yet Lela Perkasa declared that
none of these saps is poisonous in the state in which
it is gathered from the tree, but requires admixture
and heating over a slow fire. This operation, he
said, should only be performed in the jungle, and in
the presence of not more than two persons.'
The "lekir" has a stem about 9 feet high. The
leaves, which branch into three separate parts, are
from 4-5 feet long. The stem of the biggest, though
not yet quite full grown, was 4 inches (" pouces ") in
' Sir H. Low, quoted by Dc la meant. For \aughan -Stevens' experi-
Croix, p. 331. 2 //, ments with the sap, see p. 287, /;. i.
' Probably the Ipoh tree is here * Sii II. Low, Av. cit. p. m.
VOL. I U
"