JOURNEY ACROSS THE MALAY PENINSULA. er 
lies opposite the Yam Tiian’s principal dwelling. The whole 
country seems to be one vast level plain only a few feet above 
__ the level of the river, the soil is excellent and would probably 
grow any low-country produce, while swamps seem unknown, 
though I have no doubt the appearance of the place is different 
in the wet season. 
The people of the country, outside the Rajas and Chiefs, with 
some few exceptions, are industrious for Malays, but their 
distaste for work may, to some extent, be explained by the 
fact that a man does not care to work for more than bare sub- 
sistence if his gains can always be appropriated by his more 
powerful neighbour. That, at least, is an explanation offered 
here and in other Malay States, especially where Siamese 
influence is strong. Sic vos non vobis might have been written 
of the Malay ryot. 
The principal industries of Pahang are agriculture (the cul- 
tivation of rice and fruit), the rearing of cattle (especially 
buffaloes, which are very cheap here), sheep and poultry, a 
little gold-washing {but there are good reasons why this occu- 
pation is limited), and the manufacture of mats and silk cloth. 
The weaving and mat-making is done by the women, and the 
silk and mats produced are excellent of their kind, but very 
little known outside Pahang. 
The present occupation of the ruling class in Pahang is top- 
spinning, and the example is pretty generally followed by all 
the unemployed male Malays in Pékan. There is not much 
to be said against this very innocent amusement, but it strikes 
the casual observer as curious that while the people of the 
Ulu (and indeed nearly every one outside this village) are 
crying out for the redress of manifest grievances and the intro- 
duction of something resembling fixed laws and fair govern- 
ment, those who have the direction of affairs devote to the 
spinning of tops the time that can be spared from less harm- 
less distractions. 
In many respects the State is unlike any on the western 
coast and more nearly resembles Kélantan in features and 
products. Pahang has undoubtedly great resources and un- 
usual capabilities for supporting and enriching a large popu- 
lation and no intelligent person could see the country without 
regretting the circumstances which still keep it closed to 
