62 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



are discussed. The man who turned the first deer 

 and the man who hamstrung it tell their story with 

 many details and some improvements, and Che 

 Mamud shows them all how he saw and aimed at 

 and shot his deer. Every one congratulates the 

 pawang, to whom the credit of the success is con- 

 sidered to be entirely due ; and the enthusiastic or 

 ingenious compare the present success, with obvious 

 deductions, to the failure that attended the efforts of 

 his rival in the neighbouring village on the occasion 

 of the last deer-drive undertaken there. The con- 

 gratulations generally take the characteristic Malay 

 form of an address to the speaker's nearest neighbour, 

 in a tone of voice that is most obviously meant for 

 the general ear, and especially for the ear of the 

 subject of the eulogy. It is a somewhat artificial 

 method, but none the less sweet; and really to-day 

 the pawang is to be congratulated, for mishaps are far 

 from rare. Often the deer breaks back or escapes at 

 the side. Sometimes the noose is old and rotten, and 

 snaps; and even when caught, a hind will, if not 

 quickly hamstrung, extricate itself by getting its fore- 

 feet into and loosening the catch round its neck. A 

 stag can rarely get free because of its antlers. 



But to-day everything has gone well, and when all 

 are sufficiently rested the pawang rises to complete 

 the ceremonies. He first goes up to Che Mamud 

 and takes his gun from him ; then, going to the deer 

 which Che Mamud had shot, he stands between its 

 fore -legs and hind -legs. Holding the gun with his 

 left hand near the lock and his right hand some way 

 up the stock, he points the muzzle at the head of the 



