Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. VI SAVAGE MALAYS OF MALACCA 317
has been completed, however, a small (tubular) piece
of another kind of woody bamboo (" pagai ") of small
calibre is inserted into the aperture of the muzzle. This
serves as an internal block (" sunglork " = " senglak ")
for supporting and protecting this portion of the tube,
and for keeping the splits in their proper (relative) posi-
tion. It forms part of the case, not of the inner tube.^
The longer portion of the blowpipe-tube is fitted
to this block, and a ring of coconut-shell called
" lengait " (" linghite ") is imbedded in the resin at
the muzzle-end, which is heated to receive it."
This " muzzle-block " produces an especially sharp
note as the dart passes out at the muzzle. It is
difficult to describe this note, which, however, is much
less audible than the note produced when no muzzle-
block is used, and Vaughan-Stevens supposes it to be
the result of an effort to weaken the note and mak(" it
less audible to the quarry.^
The outer cuticle of the case is also scraped or
shaved off in several places, part being polished and
rubbed with bees-wax, which latter substance is also
used for rubbing that part of the case which is neither
shaved nor polished.^
llic Dart.
The darts are of the thick outer rind of the
"kredok" palm, the butts of the soft inner wood of
* V.-St. ii. 1 19. See the Besisi blow- the curve of the mouthpiece beijins "
pipe, p. 308, suf