THE i:ndav and its tributaries. 



121 



tapioca, kledek, sugar-cane, and plantains ; they finding Johor rule 

 comparatively quiet, rather took to the Johor side of the End an, to 

 the annoyance of the Pahang authorities. These latter in their 

 jealousy issued an attractive but deceitful proclamation intended to 

 draw back the runaway JaTcun into Pahang territory on pretence of 

 celebrating some ancestral feast, but in reality with the intention 

 of enslaving them : the Jalcuns were induced to go into Pahang, but 

 got wind of what was likely to happen in time for some of them to 

 get away. On another occasion, some Pahang Jalcuns crossed over 

 into Johor territory ; Che Ngku Da, of Pianggu, who is the local 

 chief on the Pahang side, ordered them to return, and shot one of 

 them who did so ; nor are the foregoing solitary instances of the 

 inhuman treatment suffered by these tribes, as by similar tribes in 

 the North of the Peninsula, at the hands of the Malays ; but it is 

 needless to multiply instances, the fact that it is systematic is al- 

 ready sufficiently well-known and authenticated, though it has been 

 hitherto allowed (except in Perak) to remain aii unnoticed fact. 

 What is recpiired is that steps should be taken to make the 

 ruling powers in Malay States aware that we can no longer view 

 with indifference any toleration by them of misconduct by any of 

 their subjects toAvards the aborigines residing in their territories, 

 and that we shall expect severe measures to be adopted against 

 any offending in this way. 



The Malays of Johor, though they have not imitated the brutal con- 

 duct of the Pahangites, have nevertheless taken advantage, though 

 not perhaps more than is natural, of their superior position in their 

 dealings with the Jalcuns. They do not give them the fair market 

 value in kind for the jungle produce they receive from them, and 

 are not content with an exchange which brings them less than 100 

 to 200 per cent, profit : by this means they keep the Jalain con- 

 stantly in their debt ; he has learnt wants now which he has to 

 work so hard to satisfy that he has little or no time left for the 

 cultivation which would formerly have kept him in comfort : still 

 more is this the case, where they are forced to work for a local 

 Mala}^ official, not at the ordinary rates of exchange in kind, but 

 merely for sufficient riee to keep body and soul together, while they 

 toil to satisfy his grasping greed. Treatment such as this elicits 

 comment even from the apathetic Malay, especially when he is a 

 fellow-sufferer, perhaps a constable on a station drawing a monthly 



