474 



THE WILD TRIBES OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 



MARKIAfiE. 



-lev 



Marriiig'c, among all these triV)e,s, is said to he l>ased on purchase. 

 Of the actual ceremonies the most interesting is the form of wedding 

 rite which is usual!}- described as the ant-heap ceremony. The bride- 

 groom is required to overtake the bride before she has run seven times 

 round the ant-heap, and in the event of his failing to do so the marriage 

 has to l)e postponed for a future occasion. 



This is the usual account given by people who have recorded it from 

 hearsa}". I was, however, on one occasion fortunate enough to be 

 present at one of these weddings, and I then discovered that the 

 orthodox ol)ject round which the chasing took place was not really an 



ant heap, but a small arti- 

 ficial mound, the cause of 

 the confusion being the use 

 of the Malay word Busut, 

 which may bear either 

 meaning. The artificial 

 moimd (tig. 3) which was 

 used on this occasion was 

 about 3i feet high with 

 al)out the same diameter 

 at the base. Its shape was 

 that of a truncated cone, 

 surmounted by a small 

 globe and knob. It re- 

 sembled not remotely a 

 gigantic bell and })ell han- 

 dle. It was decorated with 

 jungle flowers, and the 

 Jakun chiefs assured me that this was the "genuine article,'' and that 

 it was the eml)lem of their religion, and I see no reason for d<)u)>ting 

 the statement. 



Before the pursuit of the bride takes place the man or his i)rox3' is 

 subjected to a severe catechism by the woman's representatives, the 

 questions asked l)eing of a most s(^arching description, e. g. : 



"Can you fell trees? 



"Can you climl) for fruit? 



"Can you tind turtles' eggs? 



"Are you clever at using the )»l()wpipe? and 



"Can you smoke cigarettes?" 



This li\st (luery doubtless relates to the fact that the ceremony some- 

 times concludes with the smoking of a cigarette jomtly by ])ride and 

 bridcgi'oom. 



Among tiic Orang-Laut or sea gv])sies the pursuit sometimes takes 

 the form of a canoe race, in which the woman is given a good start, and 

 must be overtaken hv the man Ix'fore she has o-one a certain distance. 



Fig. 3.— Biisnt or nrtifioial mound of clay round which the 

 bride is fhiiscd by the bridegroom. (Besisi tribe.) 



