Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. XI NEGRITOS OF PEh'AK 525
I.
—
Semang.
Dealings with Strangers.
Semang-.—The Negrito lives by his bow and blow-
pipe alone, and sleeps in a temporary lean-to shed in
spots where game is plentiful. The Sakai affects to
look down upon the Negrito, while the latter is a
happy-go-lucky, cheery little hunter who looks down
on nobody.'
The Semang are very merry and lively, and even
their women and young girls are much less wild than
those of the Sakai, and assail the traveller with all
kinds of extraordinary questions.'-
Kedah Semang".—A good many years ago the
Bendahara of Kedah sent two of the Kedah Semang
for the inspection of some of his English friends
but shortly after leaving Kedah, one of
them whose fears could not be appeased became very
at Penang ;
obstreperous, and endeavoured to upset the small
boat in which they were embarked. The Malays,
therefore, with their usual apathy and indifference to
life, put the poor creature to death, and threw him
overboard ;
the
other arrived in safety, was kindly
treated, and received many presents of cloth and
money. He was taken to view the shops in the
town, and purchased a variety of spades, hatchets, and
other iron implements, which he appeared to prize
above everything else. On his return to Ian he
built himself a small hut, and began to cultivate mace,
sugar-cane, and yams.'
Perak Semang.— In exchanging jungle produce
(of the intrinsic value of which they are ignorant)
' Cliftord,/. R. A. S., S. /V., No. 24, p. 14.
- De Mor;^.in, viii. 297. ' Anderson,
p. 427.