X. NOTES ON THE SAKAJ OF THE KORBU 

 RIVER AND OF THE ULU KINTA. 



By Ivor H. N. Evans, B.A., Assistant Curator and Ethno- 

 graphical Assistant, F.M.S. Museums. 



In February 1916, I started from Sungei Siput cm an 

 expedition to the Korbu River (or Kerbau), intending, ii 



everything was favourable, to pass from its headwaters to the 

 Kinta River, and to return, via the Kinta Valley, to Tanjong 

 Rambutan. 



Sakai coolies were unobtainable; so not wishing to take 

 Malays, even if I could get them, as they always welcome every 

 opportunity of plundering the Sakai, I finally hired three 

 elephants, with drivers, to take my baggage to Kuala Larek on 

 the Korbu. Between Jalong and that place, I hoped to be 

 able to recruit Sakai coolies, as the Penghulu of Sungei Siput 

 told me that he thought that I should be able to obtain them. 

 Turning off the main road at Plang we followed the elephant 

 track which runs from that place to Jalong. This is much 

 longer than the bridle-path, a distance of only about ten 

 miles. We reached Jalong on the second day from Sungei 

 Siput. passing two Sakai settlements on the first day, one near 

 the Krodah River, and another between the Krodah (or Kerdah; 

 and Sungei Siput. I saw one or two men from them and they 

 seemed very much civilised, but 1 did not visit their houses. 

 On our arrival at Jalong, where there is a loading stage t<>i 

 elephants, we pushed on for about another mile and a lull to 1 

 Sakai settlement called Simpang, which is situated not far 

 above Kuala Lengkar. Here I tried to obtain coolies from 

 Toh Intan, the headman, but he pointed out that, besides 

 himself, there were only five men in his village at the time, and 

 that two of these were suffering from ulcers, and were unlit for 

 work. Questioned about the possibility of getting men at Kuala 

 Larek, he told me that there were none there except his father 

 and one youth. He further stated that a great many Sakai had 

 died in the district recently. In spite of this. I resolved to go 

 on to Kuala Larek on the morrow to see for myself if what he 

 told me was true. We therefore started fairly early the next 

 morning. On the way we passed two Sakai clearings, one 

 with ripe padi standing in it. the other with felled trees still 

 lying everywhere. Both these had. so Toh Intan. who came 

 with us, informed me, been deserted owing to the death of the 

 head of the house. Arrived at Kuala Larek, I found that Toh 

 Intan's information was perfectly correct: so there remained 

 nothing to do but to return to Sungei Siput. Our first daj , on 

 the way back again, tookus to Simpang, when- we hid rathei an 

 exciting night, as a herd of wild elephants broke into the Sakai; 

 padi crops and, after destroying nearly the whole oi them. 

 were driven off with considerable diffioultv. From Simpnn« 

 December, 1916. 6 



