194. THE MENTRA TRADITIONS. 
peared at dawn. . 
The Khatib tried in vain to cut the bambu, in which the Princess 
had told him he would find her, using in turn the pérang, pdtil, and 
pakat. Then he tried the kdchip on the point of the bambu with 
success, after which he was able to split it downwards, when the 
Princess fell out, and he secured her, and she did not disappear 
again; then she was conducted on horseback by many followers 
with her husband to Bukit Péraja, where they both disappeared ; 
but there they both live invisible to this day; their horses in full 
trappings are occasionally to be seen in certain favourable seasons. 
Tf their aid is invoked with burning of kémndan, they will come and 
“béchara”’ and then disappear. The Princess was quite fair in 
complexion and her hair white and seven fathoms in length. 
All the different tribes of aborigines are said to be merely varie- 
ties of the original Méntra, who also exist in the Ménangkabau 
country, but, says the Batin, perhaps they have turned Malay. 
D. FF. AW HERVE 
® Ar 2An0f pew = 
— ECE ey Gesete = 
