SO MALAY PROVERBS. 



The best commentary on this maxim is the advice of an 

 old Malay, " go into a new conntry as hens, not as cocks. 

 " If yon go as cocks, ready to take offence at everything, 



a 



a 



you 



will not be there for three months before there is 



some fatal collision." 



251. Tampat makan jangan di berak. 



" Do not pollute the place where you have eaten." 



A homely and common proverb conveying an injunction 

 to gratitude. Do not return evil for good, or bite the hand 

 that feeds you. 



252. Teg a sudah berdiri habis. 

 "Nothing to do but to stand up." 



Ready to start at a moment's notice with no preparations 

 to make. 



253. Ta'bertepat janji, ta'bertiban taroh, tabertangkap 

 mangmang, alah di darat sahja. 



" He who does not keep his appointment, who does not 

 put down his stakes, or who does not accept the challenge is 

 defeated before ever the water is reached." 



An allusion to the various incidents of the ordeal by 

 diving, a method of deciding a disputed point which was occa- 

 sionally resorted to in Perak in former times. I got the fol- 

 lowing account of the manner of conducting the ordeal from a 

 Malay chief who saw it carried out once at Tanjong San en- 

 dang near Pasir Sala in the reign of Sultan Abdullah Mo- 

 hamed Shah, father of the present Raja Muda Yusuf. 



The ordeal by diving requires the sanction of the Sultan 

 himself and must be conducted in the presence of the Orang 

 Besar Ampat, or Four Chiefs of the first rank. If two dis- 

 putants in an important question agree to settle their differ- 

 ence in this way they apply to the Raja who fixes a day 

 ("usually three days off) for the purpose, and orders that a 

 certain sum of money shall abide the event. This appoint- 

 ment of time and place is the first stage in the proceedings 

 and is called berte}) at janji and the laying of the bet or deposit 

 of stakes is called bertiban taroh. On the day appointed the 

 parties attend with their friends at the Raja's balei and 

 there, in the presence of the Court, a krani writes down a 

 solemn declaration for each person, each maintaining ten; 



