BASKET MAKING AT MALACCA. 3 



(pisau) than the parang (PI. 4. fig B). Next they "jangka" 

 or divide, the half leaves into strips by means of a rude imple- 

 ment called a " jangka " (PL 4. fig C). The " jangka " is a flat 

 piece of wood with brass spikes fixed into one end at regular 

 intervals, the intervals being decided by the width of strand 

 required (the widths vary from one inch to one eighth of an 

 inch). In this process the thorny edges of the leaves are 

 disposed of, and many are the scratches and wounds inflicted 

 on the workers. The thorns of the mengkuang point up- 

 wards on the edges of the leaves and downwards on the spine 

 so one can easily imagine they are difficult to avoid in hand- 

 ling the leaves. Now the green strands are ready as far as 

 size goes, but they leave yet to be made supple and smooth or 

 " lurut." The implement for this process is the " Pulurut " 

 or a piece of hollowed bamboo, which is pulled over the leaf 

 many times by the left hand with a sort of curling movement 

 (PI. 4. fig. D). The leaves are now folded into compact bundles 

 and soaked in a bowl of cold water (pasoh rendam) for three 

 nights, changing the water twice a day. After this they are 

 laid in the sun and bleached for a day, and woe betide the 

 mengkuang if it gets a drenching by mistake : It would 

 then all go black instead of the pretty greeny grey white, 

 which is desired. The mengkuang is now ready for use. 

 The construction of the baskets or " rombongs " is complicated, 

 and much more tedious than many people imagine. It starts 

 from a star of six strands called by the Malays " Pusat Belanak " 

 or the navel of the " Belanak " fish, a species of mullet. This 

 produces twelve strands, for the weaving is done with both 

 ends of every strand used. It is this that makes the describing 

 of the work so very difficult. The whole basket is built up by 

 the continual interweaving and crossing of the inner and outer 

 strands, and there is no foundation of warps round which to 

 weave, as in English baskets. It is built up continuously round 

 and round by weaving as in knitting a stocking. The last 

 strand in a round is called by the Malay the " mati." The 

 basket is begun in the centre by a star of six strands. To this 

 is next added six more strands, then round these are woven in 

 twelve more, then twelve more and soon till the size required 



R. A. Soc, No. 46, 1906. 



