[Vor. IX, 1920.] R. O. WinstEpr: Perak Birth Customs. 85 
the midwife (b:dan) the present which Malay custom ordains 
on every occasion of formal courtes 
“* Betel-tray and betel caskets, 
Made by craftsmen of Macas 
Wrapped in gay and fringed sie 
Streh-leaf on golden stalk, 
Betel-nut that’s cleft in four, 
Finest lime and scented watez, 
Tobacco clinging to the stem :— 
These the contents of the caskets.” 
oney also may be sent, but is not compulsory, and any 
other gifts, according to the sender’s fancy, suitable for the 
festivities or useful in the midwife’s profession, the spices 
proper for the occasion, saffron rice, a chicken, a gourd, a 
damar torch. In Upper Perak the midwife is presented with a 
cocoanut, a mat, three bags (kampit) of rice, and atorch (damar 
poate ig Pai ; and the medicine-man (pawang or bomoh) with a 
chupak of rice, 25 cents (wang sa-suku) or in the case of the rich 
$ 5 (lima kéntri mas), Ifthe midwife is not engaged before- 
ncaa: wrageks is termed bidan tarek and may charge double fees. 
n Upper Perak a curious ceremony precedes the usual 
cea in the seventh month of a first pregnancy. A palm- 
blossom (mayang pinang mungkus) is wrapped up to represent a 
baby, with a brooch (agok) on the bosom. ‘This doll is put on 
a tray and hung adorned with flowers in a cradle, made of 3, 
5 or 7 layers of cloth according tothe rank of the parents. 
The Bidan and Pawang sprinkle rice-paste on doll and cradle ; 
and the Bidan rocks the cradle, crooning Malay quatrains. 
The doll is then handed by the Bidan tothe future father, his 
wife and all the relatives in turn to nurse. Finally the doll is 
put back into the cradle and left there till the next day, when 
it is broken up and thrown into water 
A ceremonial bathing (métlenggang pérut or mandi sulong) 
takes place everywhere when a woman has gone seven months 
with her first child, and is the occasion of house decoration 
and feasting and of a religious chant (mau!ud) in praise of the 
Prophets :—these all the ordinary accompaniments of cir- 
cumcisions, marriages and funerals. During the maulud 
husband and wife are put in the middle of the company for 
the duration of three chants. The next morning, husband 
and wife will be dressed in their best and taken in procession 
down to the river. Incense is burnt and two rites observed 
which are imperative on every momentous occasion of Malay 
life, at birth, at the shaving of the child’s head, at circum- 
cision, in sickness, on return from a long journey, at a chief’s 
Fishel tines, at a warrior’s preparation for battle: three kinds 
of rice (/ brich, béras kunyit, béras basah) and neutralizing rice- 
paste (‘pong fawar) are sprinkled on water ready for use. To 
sprinkle rice-paste is supposed to neutralize or sterilize all 
