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Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

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CHAP. XI SAVAGE MALAYS OF SELANGOR 537<br />

could not acquire ; though certainly those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m<br />

who have been spoilt ei<strong>the</strong>r by opium-smoking or o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

<strong>Malay</strong> or Chinese vices, can hold <strong>the</strong>ir own with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

teachers in a contest <strong>of</strong> misapplied wits. All <strong>the</strong>se<br />

facts help to bring out what I believe to be <strong>the</strong> most<br />

salient characteristic <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se tribes, viz., <strong>the</strong>ir un-<br />

rivalled power <strong>of</strong> adaptability.<br />

Jakun <strong>of</strong> Sungei Ujong".—The Jakun <strong>of</strong> Sungei<br />

Ujong were till recently on no better terms with <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Malay</strong>s than <strong>the</strong> aborigines <strong>of</strong> Selangor and Perak.^<br />

At a <strong>Malay</strong> wedding-feast in Sungei Ujong, some<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jakun guests (<strong>of</strong> whom nearly one hundred<br />

were present) informed <strong>the</strong> Rev. M. Borie (a French<br />

Roman Catholic missionary) and Mr. J. R. Logan<br />

how unhappy <strong>the</strong>y were in that place, and what bad<br />

treatment <strong>the</strong>y experienced from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong>s, so much<br />

so that only a few days before several <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m had<br />

been killed and wounded by order <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Malay</strong> chief.<br />

They declared that <strong>the</strong>y intended to escape over into<br />

<strong>the</strong> Company's territory, where <strong>the</strong>y hoped to find more<br />

tranquillity and assistance ; and asked <strong>the</strong> Europeans<br />

to take <strong>the</strong>m with <strong>the</strong>m. Two <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>the</strong>m-<br />

selves as servants for ever, or ra<strong>the</strong>r as slaves, as<br />

<strong>the</strong>y intended not to receive any pay. This was a<br />

great mark <strong>of</strong> confidence, since by so speaking <strong>the</strong>y<br />

took <strong>the</strong>ir lives in <strong>the</strong>ir hands, for <strong>the</strong> mention <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

design would have undoubtedly been <strong>the</strong> cause <strong>of</strong><br />

some fresh order for killing <strong>the</strong> first authors <strong>of</strong> this<br />

resolution, which would have been called a conspiracy.<br />

These requests were not acceded to, but some advice<br />

was given to <strong>the</strong> aborigines, <strong>the</strong> Europeans <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

^<br />

J. I. A. vol. ii. p. 280. The S. <strong>the</strong> tally-stick as a innemonic when <strong>the</strong>y<br />

Ujong tribes, who are no better at want to calculate, v. Knocker, Joiirtt.<br />

counting than o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir race, use F. M.S. Mus. vol. i. No. ii. pp. 60-61.

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