Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

SAKAI OF PERAK 489
The dots denote " leaves " or vegetation, e.g.
grass, etc. Slopes covered with forest are also shown,
with their summits bare of vegetation. The curves
[^--] which reach to the centre of the pattern represent
a ravine which is only wooded at the upper part,
where the trees of the surrounding jungle are shown.
The vertical lines are the trunks of the trees, the
curves [^] their branches, and the dots their leaves.
The boughs at the right are leafless. Then follow
two columns of leafy trees, and a third (leafless) one
with lianas, orchids, etc., growing upon its dead
branches. Above these, at the rim of the pattern,
the signs [^^] represent long rattans and similar
creepers climbing from tree to tree.
The figure is the copy of a " tuang-tuang " pattern
—a picture of the forest as the draughtsman had
probably often observed it.^
Fig. 16.—Like Fig. 15 this is only a copy of one
of these patterns, with which the owner absolutely
refused to part. The original was intended to serve
as a charm to assist the women in catching small
fish, and at the same time to afford them some;
slight protection against poisonous fishes. Towards
the left, at the bottom, is depicted a big tortoise ; a
little to its right, a small one and a rather larger
one ;
these three, which typify a male, a female, and
a young one, are meant to symbolise the amount
of the booty. In the extreme left-hand (bottom)
corner is a fishing-rod, which is drawn upside down.
The rather thicker black line represents the rod,
the black spot near its foot the reel, and the thinner
line the line itself. In the centre of the right-hand
border are to be seen three rice-spoons of an ancient
' Z.f. E. xxvi. 185.