Points of the Compass in Brunei Malay. 
The Points of the Compass in Brunei Malay have been dis- 
cussed by Major J. C. Moulton in this Journal No. 83, 1921, p. 75. 
The Serang os the s. |. Brunet explained the use of the word 
Utara as meaning N. KE. by the fact that Malays fix the points of 
the compass by “the winds; Musim Utara is the general Malay 
expression for the N. E. monsoon during which they cannot go out 
fishing, but if the wind shifts a point north they can, so they have 
a definite name for this: Jraga. And thus avoid confusion with 
the rightly dreaded Utara. 
The coast of Borneo runs from 8. W. to N. E., so a wind from 
the open sea i.e. Angin Laut would be a N. W. wind and a wind 
from the west would still be a sea wind Barat Laut i.e. from 
the western sea. The use of Barat Tepat for south west is probably 
a confusion of thought as such a wind would come straight 
(tepat) up the coast. 
The other three winds are not sea winds; Zimor the East is 
always definite; Selatan I don’t think I ever heard used; the mean- 
ing given in Wilkinson is the wind from the side of the Straits 
Woe S. Ki. 
Barat Daya for south might be explained by the meaning 
of Daya, treacherous, deceptive, as a wind partly off the shore 
would be. 
F. W. Dougas: 
Kuala Lumpur 16/7/21. 
A Note on the Tagals of Sarawak. 
The Tagals of whom a few hundred have wandered down 
into Sarawak territory from British Borneo are a stockily built 
tribe whose looks and ornaments, tatooing and headress are very 
similiar to some Dayak tribes. They are renowned amongst sur- 
rounding Muruts and others as experts in the art of poisoning. 
On one occasion I took from a small cloth which was round the 
neck of a Tagal chief a small piece of wood bound round with rotan 
and showed it to a Murut chief who asked me as he examined 
it from whom I had taken it. A native officer standing by 
mentioned the name of the Tagal chief whereupon the Murut 
dropped it lke a piece of hot coal and nothing would mduce bim 
to touch it again. According to several Muruts this small piece 
of wood was quite sufficient to give a man violent fever. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
