XXXIV. SOME MALAY BELIEFS. 
By IncHE WAN LELA, Penghulu Lipis, Pahang. 
(Transiated by Ivor H,N. Evans.) 
The following notes are Wan Lela’s own composition. I, with the 
general a subjects about whee he might write. Wan Lela tells me that 
he. personally, does not believe a great deal of what he has set down; he 
merely records current, or old-time, beliefs s.] 
About Stone Implements. 
Now the Malays say that thunder-bolts (i.e. stone im- 
es iene originate in the earth of the mounds made by 
“ white ant.” In the first place the thunder-bolts arise in 
the ety of ‘white ant” mounds, being made by Rayak- 
kayak, that is a form of “ white ant,” and these kayak-kayak, 
make them in rows and arrange them in layers, and, after a 
long time, the earth (of which they are made) becomes 
hard. Then, after the period of their concealment is fin- 
ished when lightning comes, the mounds break, and these 
stones become like bullets and strike trees, houses and ani- 
mals wherever they may be; and sometimes they strike 
human beings as we 
Malays also say that the reason why different i 
are struck by (di-panah, ‘“ struck as by an arrow ’’) thunder- 
bolts or thunder (sic) is because devils and fiends are shelter- 
ing in the place; so that is the reason for it 
When thunder-bolts are found by Malays, they have 
kinds of small knives, or kéris or other blades; and another 
use is to put them into the pot which holds the water for 
an small children, since they say that, when they put 
one into the water, the child’s body will be strong and 
moreover will not be much approached by diseases. 
Thunder-bolts, such as are black, are also used by gold- 
smiths, as touch stones, to try whether the carat of ‘gold is 
good or not. When they rub the gold on the stone, a little 
sticks to it, and then they brush it over with acid to see if it 
is silver or brass, yina can certainly be told. 
[There two points of iuterest in this account which are worthy of a 
sah concern g them, ‘die belief that stone warner — in nests of 
the termite and tha t they are deposited in layers. I am inclined to think 
chat hee is 2 suka tratum of fact aoderigile ‘these cai: _though the 
Malays have argi lied wrongly from ‘he premises. Firstly, it is not at ail 
unlikely that stone implements, which are common in some ocalities, are 
frequently brought to the surface on, or in, the nests of the termite, just as 
fragments of ancient pottery, — coins and stone implements are in 
gland by burrowing rabbits ; y, we have two well authenticated 
instances of hoards of stone papieeents having been found in the Peninsula, 
