CHAPTER V. 



ARAB DESCENDANTS OF THE PROPHET THEIR IMPOSITIONS AND 



SUPERSTITIONS PIRACY ACTION OF THE NEMESIS GAMBLING 



AND OPIUM SMOKING CRIMINAL TRIALS AND PUNISHMENTS 



, IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF SARAWAK MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE 



EDUCATION DRESS AND APPEARANCE OF MALAY WOMEN 



OIL FOR THE HAIR A SUPERSTITION MARRIAGES PRICE OF A 



WIFE RUNNING A-MUCK ARTS AND MANUFACTURES PALACE 



OF THE SULTAN MARKET OF BRUNI MALAY FISHING TRADERS 



AT SARAWAK WARS OF THE PEOPLE THEIR WEAPONS ASSO- 

 CIATION WITH EUROPEANS. 



THE Malays of Sarawak are all of the Mahometan 

 religion, and having received the faith through mis- 

 sionaries from Arabia, are all of the orthodox or Sunni 

 sect. The Princes of Borneo, and of the other Ma- 

 layan nations of the coasts, though professing the 

 religion of Islam, were always very neglectful of its 

 tenets, the only precept strictly observed being the 

 destruction and reducing to slavery of their infidel 

 subjects and neighbours. The Arabs, who were. at 

 one time numerous on the coasts, and are still so at 

 Pontianak, all pretending to be sereibs or seriflfs, 

 descendants of the Prophet, have always been held in 

 high consideration. They are always addressed by 

 the title of tuan-ku, or " your highness," and on state 

 days and festivals occupy a position more eminent 

 than that of the highest hereditary nobles. These 



