178 ABORIGINES IN MALACCA. 



patois, though their pronunciation is so peculiar that they are not 

 understood by Malays. That of the Mentera approximates closest 

 to the ordinary Malay of their Muhammadan neighbours, while the 

 Jakun dialect seems to retain more of its original character. The 

 two appear to be closely connected, and frequently agree together 

 while differing from the Malay, but as often as not Mentera agrees 

 with Malay and differs from Jakun, while in a few cases all three 

 diverge. The Mentera although they rather despise the Jakun 

 have intermarried a good deal with them and it is almost im- 

 possible at present to keep the two dialects entirely apart: if a 

 Mentera is asked for the Mentera equivalent of a Jakun word he 

 usually lapses into Malay. On the other hand a good many words 

 differ in the two dialects, but as they are generally understood 

 fairly well by persons of both tribes, each being usually fairly 

 conversant witli the dialect of the other as well as its own, it is 

 very difficult to ascertain accurately the points in which these two 

 dialects differ from each other. 



The general physical type of these aborigines is Malayan, 

 hut there are a variety of points in which they usually differ more 

 or less from the normal Malay type ; and it is almost always possible 

 to recognize an Orang utan by his features even if he be dressed in 

 the Malay style. Some individuals approximate very closely to 

 the common Malay type: others present an appearance as if there 

 had been a strong admixture of low caste Kling or Negro blood, 

 the complexion being darker and the features coarser than in the 

 Malay. This is more particularly the case in the Jakun who is 

 usually of a distinctly lower type than the Mentera. 



Speaking generally in the average type of Malacca Orang utan 

 the nose projects more than in the Malay and the prognathism is 

 more pronounced. The upper lip is thicker and more projecting 

 and the chin tends rather to recede, the lower lip hanging some- 

 what as compared with Malays. 



The eye is somewhat different in expression from that of the 

 Malay, but it is hard to describe the precise nature of the difference, 

 though when once seen it is easily recognised. 



The hair which is often worn long by the men is almost 

 always wavy and sometimes quite curly; it is always black, except 

 when grizzled by age, and in young children when it has a brownish 

 tinge. 



The face hair is scanty, as also is the hair on the body. The 

 height varies a good deal but the average is probably somewhat less 

 than among Malays. The legs and arms are often thin, but in 

 some individuals they are well developed and muscular. 



The aborigines, as has been mentioned already, differ some- 

 what amongst themselves in respect of their social habits. The 

 Mentera usually live in fairly good houses surrounded by a small 



Jour. Straits Branch 



