Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

546 DEALINGS WITH OTHER RACES i-akt ii
" penchong alas " from the Malays who collected
jungle produce. The amount of the fee was insignifi-
cant, being one dollar per man once in three years.
He declared with pride that this was the " penny-box
of the man of the woods." ^ The simplicity of this
form of taxation was most curious, and shows the
freedom from guile of the aboriginal mind. He was
attempting at the time of this meeting to collect this
fee for the past three years, not in advance. Lister
tried to assist him, but the attempt was vain. He was
somewhat indignant at the falseness of the Malay ;
but
for his own part. Lister was not astonished. In talking
of his position with reference to the Dato' of Johol,
he said that as between him and the Dato', " custom
cannot be altered, agreements cannot be changed,
alliances cannot be revoked." - This is a very
beautiful expression of Malay fealty and loyalty.
Sometimes a Batin or Jurukrah, who is minister
to the Batin, is very indignant. He will say, " the
Penghulus^ get thousands of dollars now in selling our
forests." Then it is explained to them how necessary
it is this earth should be developed. They are in-
formed that they are not able to govern or regulate
such things, and that they cannot truly claim the forests
as being theirs ;
but that what they can claim is to have
all that they require for their maintenance from the
forests. They will then reply that this is quite right,
and that they are really perfectly happy as long as
they have forests reserved to them, and that they do
not know what to do with money. They are delighted
with presents of tobacco, stuffs, and other trifles. If
' " Peti duit orang utan." "Alas" is an obsolete Malayan word for "jungle."
- " Adat tiada berubah, perjanjian tiada bcralih, setia tiada bertukar."
•' I.e. Lesser chiefs.