NOTES ON MALAYAN FOLK-LORE. 61 
waters, and fights often take place in consequence. According to the 
Malays they are gifted with two pairs of eyes. The upper ones they use 
when above water and the under pair when beneath the surface. This 
latter pair is situated half way between the muzzle and the angle of the 
mouth, on the under surface of the lower jaw. ‘These are in reality not 
eyes but inward folds of skin connected by a duct with a scent gland, 
which secretes an unctuous substance of a dark grey colour, with a 
strong musky odour. Medicinal properties are attributed to the flesh of 
the males, which are believed to be of very rare occurrence, and to be 
quite unable to leave the water by reason of their peculiar conformation. 
The fact is that the sexes are almost undistinguishable, except on dissec- 
tion, and therefore the natives class all that are caught as females. While 
on this subject it may be worth mentioning that at Port Weld there used 
to be a tame crocodile which would come when called. The Malays fed 
it regularly, and said it was not vicious and would not do any harm. It 
was repeatedly seen by the early visitants to Port Weld, or Sapetang as 
the place was then called, and was a fine big animal, with a bunch of 
seaweed growing on its head. Some one had it called, and then fired at 
the poor thing; whether it was wounded, or only frightened, is uncertain, 
but it never came again. 
The gall-bladder of the python, w/er sawah, is in great request 
among native medical practitioners.* This serpent is supposed to have 
two of these organs, one of which is called /ampedu tdup, or the live gall- 
bladder. It is believed that if a python is killed and this organ is cut 
out and kept it will develope into a serpent of just twice the size of that 
from which it was taken. The natives positively assert that the python 
attains a length of 60 to 7o feet, and that it has been known to have 
killed and eaten a rhinoceros. 
One of the pit vipers is exceedingly sluggish in its movements, and 
will remain in the same place for days together. One individual that was 
watched, lay coiled up on the branch of a tree for five days, and probably 
would fee remained much longer, but at the end of that time it was 
caught and preserved. The Malays call it wler kapak daun, and they 
say that it is fed three times a day by birds, who bring it insects to eat. 
One man went so far as to say that he had actually once seen some birds 
engaged in feeding one of these beautiful bright green snakes. 
The weaver- aren which makes the long foes bottle-shaped nests 
occasionally seen hanging from the branches of a low tree, is said to use 
a golden needle in the work ; and it is affirmed that if the nest is carefully 
* “Those who take them proceed to extract the gall from the inside, and this sells at 
a great price; for you must know it furnishes the material for a most precious medicine. 
Thus if a person is bitten by a mad dog, and they give him but a small pennyweight of this 
medicine to drink, he is cured in a moment. 
* * * * % * * * * 
“Yet, again, if one has any disease like the itch, or it may be worse, and applies a 
small quantity of this gall he shall speedily be cured. So you see why it sells at such 
a high price. 
“They also sell the flesh of this serpent, for it is excellent eating, and the people are 
very fond of it. And when these serpents are very hungry, sometimes they will seek out 
the lairs of lions or bears or other large wild beasts, and devour their cubs, without the 
sire and dam being able to prevent it. Indeed, if they catch the big ones themselves they 
devour them too; they can make no resistance.” —The Book of Ser Marco Polo the Venetian, 
(A.D. 1273.) 
