Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. X NEGRITOS OF KEDAH 497
tied up to a tree for two to three months, until a
blood -fine of twenty- three dollars was paid. To'
Chiak (though even he died not long afterwards)
was, moreover, the only Semang in the whole country
who ever entered the presence of the Raja of Kedah.
In modern days the Pelima's authority is confined
to his official relations with his people. He is, how-
ever, still the chief medicine -man of the tribe, and
actively follows his profession.^ His duties appear in
fact to be practically identical with those of the obsolete
Putto, his position and authority being practically those
of the head of a family, which in this case is represented
by a larger family, the tribe.
In Kedah the tribal chief of the Semang was called
(as already mentioned) " Pelima," but in Perak the
word " Penghulu " appears to be more general.
Laws.
Crime among the Semang appears to be extremely
rare, but I was given by the Pelima the following scale
of fines. These, however, are less by way of illus-
trating the precise amounts which would be actually
levied in each case than the general principles and
proportions according to which the amount would be
determined.
Theft of a blowpipe .... bow..... $5.00
Theft of a 6.00
Theft
.....
of a shot-gun (European blunderbuss)
10.00
..... Abduction of a married woman (nominally)
40.00
'
"^
' As in a case of which I had was considered a sjreater ofl'ence than
personal cognizance, cp. vol. ii. that of a blowpipe,
p. 230. •' Hut this is a sum which no Semang
2 It is interesting to note that among would usually he at>le to pay ; hence ths
this Negrito tribe the theft of a bow idea was probably taken from the law of
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