﻿66 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 78 



I was told that the natives observe a difference in the methods used 

 by the tiger and the tigress in kilHng their prey, the former by 

 breaking the neck and the latter by biting through it. The other 

 mammals do not cause any terror among the natives, although many 

 are dangerous when hunted. 



The native Sumatran, whether an orthodox Moslem or not, believes 

 in spirits both of animate and inanimate objects. On my second 

 ascent of Mt. Kaba, I met a band of natives on the edge of the 



SHBHBHWi •_ -^ ■ ;^^^^i^^» 



Fig. 70. — Javanese coolies giving an ancient war dance New-year's day for 

 the members of the expedition. Note that the horses are constructed of plaited 

 bamboo and painted. (Photograph by Kellers.) 



crater offering up as a sacrifice a white pigeon, sprinkling rice and 

 water on the ground, and conducting religious ceremonies in order 

 to invoke the favor of the spirits for bountiful crops and to the 

 end that their wives would Ijear numerous offspring. The story of 

 today of the semi-human ape that is supposed to inhabit the southern 

 end of the island is nothing more than the old legend of the 

 Sumatran orang-outang (mazvas), a semi-human spirit of great 

 strength and ferocity. 



The present age is one of transition. How long are the old customs 

 and beliefs to survive? The native Sumatran is being educated, he 

 reads books, he is taking an interest in newspapers, and he has a good 

 opinion of himself. 



