124 HUMAN TEEE-DWELLEES 



and top covered with attap. Unfortunately, the 

 continuous rain and semi-dusk of the jungle made 

 it impossible for me to secure photographs of these 

 houses. 



I spent a couple of days in the vicinity, even 

 climbed the frail bamboo ladder. into one of their 

 houses, keeping my rifle slung over my shoulder, 

 however, lest some of the Sakais opposed my in- 

 trusion with the blow-guns many carried. But I 

 never got nearer than twenty feet or so of an indi- 

 vidual, though I had the opportunity of examining 

 their blow-guns and darts, and their various bam- 

 boo ornaments, which through signs and gifts, I 

 got them to deposit on the ground for my inspec- 

 tion—they always retreating as I drew near. 

 They grew increasingly generous in their presents 

 in return for my gifts to them; yet, always the 

 same method of presentation had to be followed. 

 I never could get within arm's reach of them. 



These men of the woods (Orang-utang) or 

 Sakais, as more commonly they are known, are the 

 aborigines of Malaya, and to be found in greatest 

 numbers in the northern part of Perak, east of the 

 river of that name— the Sakai population is esti- 

 mated, I believe, at about five thousand. They are 

 a smallish people, though not dwarfish or so small 

 as the Negritos of the Philippine Islands, of 

 lighter complexion than the Malays, though not 



