IN THE SWAMPS 175 



according to its intrinsic value. It may have a 

 wood or buffalo horn handle, plain, or carved in 

 the fanciful designs of which Malay workmen are 

 past masters; or the handle may be of ivory, of 

 silver, or even of gold, chased and studded with 

 jewels. Etiquette prescribes that the kris be worn 

 at the left side, unobtrusively sheathed in the 

 sarong, with the handle pointing in to the body; 

 the turning out of the handle and the exposure of 

 the kris indicates unfriendliness. Whatever the 

 composition of its handle, however, the blade of 

 the first-class kris is only of one and the best qual- 

 ity, fashioned of splendid Celebes iron, tempered 

 ceremoniously and decorated punctiliously with 

 water lines. These lines, which give the impres- 

 sion of inlaid silver, are the result of a process 

 said to be secret ; but Din told me they were made 

 by leaving the blade, covered by a thin coating of 

 wax, for several days in a mixture of sulphur and 

 salt, and then cleaning it with arsenic and lime- 

 juice. How near this is to the truth I know not; 

 I give it only as Aboo Din gave it to me. 



The sheath of the kris is frequently as elaborate 

 as the handle, made of a native mottled wood that 

 takes a very h*igh polish, and is often additionally 

 mounted in highly ornamented brass. Sometimes 

 the sheath is also decorated with gold and silver 

 trimmings. In the old days the famous maker of 



