Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

570 DEALINGS WITH OTHER RACES i'Art ii
down upon the Malays as an inferior race, and disliked
theterm "Rayat" (or "subject") usually applied to them.
Like the (Land) Jakun, they were of a restless turn of
mind, and impatient of all control, but passionately
fond of music, especially that of the violin. In handi-
crafts they were remarkably ingenious, particularly in
boat-building. They considered the (Land) Jakun as
their superiors, and showed them great respect. It
was said that though a Jakun could take an Akik
woman to wife, the Akik were not permitted to marry
with the Jakun females.'
The Charge of Piracy against the Orang Laut.
It has often been questioned whether the Orang
Laut of the Johor coast have been rightly charged
with the crime of piracy, and it certainly is very
highly probable that some part of the burden of the
charge is due to their being confused (as Orang Laut
or " sea-gypsies,") with the Illanum and other more
powerful and formidable tribes of the Archipelago.
Yet it must be noted that Begbie in his table of the
Maritime Tribes of the Empire of Johor (pp. 271-273
of his Malay Pejiinsula, published in 1833), specially
distinguishes for their piratical propensities the tribes
of Sekana, Gonwn (?), Booroo, Kondoor, Tumboosoo,
Laboo, Temiang, and Gallang, of which all but three
were ruled by a Batin of their own. The fact is that
the Johor "sea-gypsies" formed but a limited and
somewhat insignificant section of the Orang Laut, and
were probably only piratical in a very small way.
^ Newbold, ii. 413, 414.