Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

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CHAP. VI SAVAGE MALAYS OF MALACCA 321
slender darts of the blowpipe inflicted but little injury
upon them.^
The Qiiiver.
Their quiver, which is of" telang " bamboo, is dried
at leisure when not required for immediate use. Often,
however, it is merely filled with hot ashes and dried
in the sun for two to three days to expedite matters."
The cap is manufactured from a small block of
soft wood (that of the "jelotong" tree). After it has
been roughly shaped, a small depression is made at
one end, in which red-hot embers are laid. When it
has been charred sufficiently deep the hole is cleared
out and shaped with a knife, and fresh embers put in
to complete the burning-out process. The outside is
shaped with a knife as required.'^
The Mantra quiver alone has a broad band woven
according to what is called the " bat's-wing " pattern,
near the top, in addition to the ordinary rings or
lashings.^ The girdle is of " trap " bark, with a knot
as buckle,
' y. /. A. vol. i. p. 273. wood, the soft central portion of which
- Vaughan-Stevens (ii. 120) gives has necessarily to be burnt out to preseveral
words for this process, as used vent it from decaying, the hole being
by various tribes, but with one prob- then pluc;ged with wax to make the
able exception they are all bad Malay cap water-proof.
meaning "quick"' or "rapid." * This same (bat's-wing) pattern as
They are
"chupat" (used by Sakai) = Malay
seen (in the same position) on the
quiver of the O. Kuantan may per-
"ch^pat": haps be a reminiscence of the time
"banghaf '
1 (used by T " bangat'" when a woven band, similar to that
and Kenaboi) and of the Mantra, occupied its jiKace.
"dras"
J-
j = Malay
-J
( " dras " : This woven band (of the Mantra
"ertjoos (used by Besisi), which is quiver) encircles externally that part of
merely a corrupt form of the common the quiver in which is kejn the "so-
Besisi word "jo-jriss" (which un- called pinlal tuk.xs."
doubtedly stands for "jos-joss"= [.y/V \aughan-Stevens, ii. 122. But
" quick-quick ''). here there seems to be a considerable
' The description here (\'aughan- muddle, as on the same page " pintal "
Stevens, ii. 123) is very obscure and is explained as the name of the girdle,
confused. The key to the employment and " pintal tukas "' as the name of the
of this process is the use of " jclotong "'
flocculent wad which goes behind the
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