8 Allan, Bat tack Printing in Java. 



kris, and are distinguished from it by the name of 

 kulewang. For jungle-clearing, there is probably no 

 better tool than the kulewang if the Bornean parang 

 ilang be excepted. 



The kris blade is usually characterized by beautifully 

 damascened markings, though many plain blades are 

 met with, but these are not esteemed so highly by the 

 natives, since the plain blades are not so strong, nor is 

 the labour entailed in their manufacture so great as is 

 the case with the damascened blade. 



The kris is fitted with a wood or bone handle, usually 

 carved into grotesque shapes of men or animals, but with 

 no hand-guard other than a triangular widening-out of 

 the base of the blade. 



In using the weapon, a favourite stroke is an upward 

 blow with the point entering beneath the shoulder blade 

 or a downward stroke with the weapon thrust between 

 the collar bone and first rib. 



Until comparatively recent times, the metal which 

 was used for kris manufacture was entirely native iron, 

 but of recent years, with the extension of commercial 

 relationships with European countries, nails, hoop-iron 

 and other forms of scrap have come to be employed — 

 not, however, it must be acknowledged, to the improve- 

 ment of the weapon. How long iron has been made in 

 Malaysia it is impossible to say, but the process of manu- 

 facture is similar to that still used in India and China, 

 and it is probable that the art was imported from one or 

 other of these two countries, as there has for a long time 

 been a close commercial association between them and 

 the Malay Archipelago. 



The furnaces in which iron is at present made by the 

 natives are built up from clay to a height of 3 or 4ft., 

 and from 8 to loft. in diameter, the whole furnace 



