114 SAKAIS. 



taste is his criterion to judge of the good or ill effects of many 

 objects. 



The body and limbs are generally speaking well formed. 

 Cripples and deformed children are extremely rare amongst 

 the Sakais, nor are abnormalities of anatomical structure fre- 

 quent amongst them. 



Mental and Moral Characters. 



A desire for what may be called independence, but what 

 in reality is a dislike of restraint is remarkable in this race. 

 Work for a Sakai must be voluntary ; the moment that it be- 

 comes compulsory it becomes distasteful. 



Not less notable is his distrust of strangers. The approach 

 of a white man will often scatter a whole habitation of Salcais ; 

 and even the presence of natives of other races, such as Malays, 

 Tamils or Chinese, is a frequent cause of their speedy removal 

 from an accustomed haunt Once the ISakai confidence is 

 secured, he is like a child, and must be treated as such. All 

 obligations entered into with him must be scrupulously ob- 

 served, for, like the natural child, he is not prone to deceit 

 or falsehood. He is also possessed of the child's simple idea of 

 morality, as expressed in his words and acts. Early marriage 

 being the custom, the immorality of civilized races, with its 

 literature and influence on social relations, is unknown. 



Dress. 



Bark beaten finely and elongated until it resembles coarse 

 ramie fibre, is the material from which the primitive clothing is 

 made. Both sexes fasten strings of this bark, about six inches 

 or more wide, around the waist, by tying them in back and in 

 front. A thin fillet of the same stuff, dyed and coloured in a 

 simple pattern, is used to tie the hair, which is generally filled 

 by the women with combs, made of bamboo and ornamented in 

 various styles. 



Flowers are universally worn by the women in the hair, 

 around their necks as necklaces, and occasionally in their waist- 

 belts of odorous grass. In both sexes the nasal septum is per- 

 forated for the insertion of straight pieces of bamboo, and the 

 ear only by the women for the insertion of some bamboo with 



Jour. Straits Branch 



