74 RUBBER 



turmoil ; when they began to hamper our trade still 

 further, by raiding our territor}^ in the Peninsula, steps 

 had to be taken to bring them under control. Gradu- 

 ally, by means of force and diplomacy, order was 

 established, British influence was widely extended, and 

 the Native States entered into that close political 

 relationship with Britain which I have already summed 

 up for you. 



Generally speaking, the Malays are very different 

 from the Sakai. The jungle-men are savages. The 

 Malays are a civilized people ; they have a national 

 style of dress, their conversation is witty and is fre- 

 quently carried on in poetic language, they have pro- 

 duced some literature, and they are most artistic 

 metal-workers. 



But the Malays and the Sakai are alike in that they 

 both want but little here below except time to loaf in 

 the sun. Regular work they heartily dislike, and will 

 not do. But, as a rule, they are quite pleased to 

 make a clearing for the planter. That is a job which 

 will come to an end some day not so very long after 

 it is begun, and it will bring in enough money to carry 

 them through another lengthy spell of leisure. 



CHAPTER XVI 



LIFE ON A RUBBER PLANTATION 



During the time the trees are growing big enough to 

 be tapped, the principal work on a rubber plantation 

 consists of weeding, manuring, and pruning. 



The staff consists of a manager, generally spoken of 

 as the planter, two, three, or half a dozen assistants, 



