40 Mefbod of hunting Wild Stuhie 



exceedinglv well tafted, but they are not numerous. The 

 other kind frequent the impenetrable bulbes and marflies oa 

 the fea coai't, where they live on crabs and roots. They are 

 not fo large as the European fwine, are of a grayer colour, 

 and keep in large herds. The latter, at certain |-)eriods of the 

 year, ia herds of fometimes a thoufand, fwini from the one 

 fide of the river Siak to the other, at its mouth, which is 

 three or four miles in breadth, and return to the former at 

 ftated periods. This paflage takes place alfo in the fniaU 

 iflands, by their fwinmiing from the one to the other. On 

 fuch occafions, thefe Avine are hunted by a tribe of the Ma- 

 lays, who are not Mahometans but heathens, and who are 

 held in great contempt by the other Malays, who will neither 

 iufler them to inhabit among them nor to approach tliem. 

 On this account thev were obliged formerly to live mere at 

 fea than on land, in finall boats covered with mats, until the 

 king of Siak lately permitted them to eftablifh themfelves in 

 the uninhabited diftri6ls on the fea coaft. They are called 

 in the Malay language the Salettimis, and by the Dutch the 

 Lard Malays. They are better made and of a brighter 

 colour than the other Malays ; have only one wife each, 

 whereas it is well known that the other Malays admit of 

 polygamy. 



The women are faid to be remarkably well made, and ta 

 retain their charms much longer than thofe among the other 

 Malays and inhabitants of the fea coafl ; fo that at the age 

 of forty they look as well as the latter at twenty. They go 

 half naked, and wear only a piece of cloth wrapped round 

 their loins, which hangs down to their knee. They are 

 much addifted to ftrong liquor, particularly arrac ; and when 

 they fee an European veffel, their firll inquiry is after that 

 beverage, for which and tobacco thev give every thine; they 

 have, and fometimes even their daughters and neareft con- 

 ' neifions, to be kept for a certain time as fervants, but not 

 ilaves. They are much more attached to the Dutch than to 

 any other nation, and have the greateft intercourfe with 

 them. They are much afraid of other nations, and particu- 

 larly the Malay pirates, becaufe the latter carry them away 

 and fell them as flaVes. 



On fuch occafions they defend themfelves with great 

 bravery by mean? of flings, with which they hit a mark very 

 accurately at a great dillance. They can ufe alfo, with great 

 dexterity, a fort of javelins made of very hard wood, with 

 which thev can ftrike fill) at a confiderable diftance at the 

 furface of the fea. When thefe javelins are to be ufcd againfl 

 robbers, they harden the points of them in the fire, and dip 



them 



