110 A TRIP TO GUNONG 13LUMUT. 



readied Peiigkalan Teba at 1 p. hi., thus accomplishing in 

 2 hours and 40 minutes a distance over which on the first day 

 we had expended 4 hours and a half. I had some talk with 

 the Dato about various legends ; among others that of Bukit 

 Pcniabong, said to be a practicable ascent within the day, 

 there and back, from Kelesa Baniak. The legend is 

 that a cock-fight took place between Raja Chilian and 

 another Raja of old times, the defeated bird flew away to his 

 house at Bukit Bulan, while the victorious bird was turned 

 into stone and still remains a mute but faithful witness to 

 mark the spot where the tremendous conflict took place. The 

 Dato informed me that he had seen the figure himself on 

 the top of Bukit Peniaboiig ; it was a good deal above life-size, 

 he said, and just like a cock in white stone ; he added that 

 the top of the hill was bare and a good view was to be had 

 from it. Assuming that he really did visit the hill, it seems 

 to me not improbable that this hill may turn out to be 

 lime-stone, the most southerly in the Peninsula ; at present, 

 I believe, there is no lime-stone known to exist South of the 

 Selangor caves described in a paper by Mr. Daly, which was 

 read at a meeting of the Society not long ago. In the 

 afternoon the Batin (nephew of the Dato and son of an old 

 Jakun of our party), a young man, came in, after a successful 

 chase, with a pelandok he had killed, and gave us a leg. 



5th. Had the pelandok leg at breakfast, and found it most 

 excellent. I think it beats airy kind of meat I ever ate ; it is 

 something between a hare and chicken in flavour. Had some 

 talk with the Batin and the Dato about religion, the origin 

 of the tiger race, and the camphor language. The legend of 

 the tiger the Dato refused to communicate in public, and I 

 had to go to a place apart before he would tell it me. 



In their own house tigers are supposed to have the human 

 shape, and only to assume the shape in which they are known 

 when they go abroad. Their original abode is placed at 

 Chcnaku in the interior of the Mcnangkabau country; when 

 they increased and crossed to the Peninsula they took up 

 quarters at Gunong Ledang and in the Blumut range. The 

 legend of the origin of the tiger had better be related in tire 

 language in which it was told me, Malay. It is as follows : 

 " Pada zeman dahulu Baginda Ali Raja } r ang pertama. 

 " Maka adalah pada suatu hari ia turun kasungei handak mandi 

 "sSrta mumbuat hajatnya. Maka pada kotika itu, kuluarlah 

 "sa-ekor kodok hrjau deri sungei lalu dijilatnya kepada 

 " Baginda Ali itu. Maka adalah bebrapa lama kenidian deripa- 



