112 MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 



" The chief, who gloried in the name of Tuboo, or sugar-cane, 

 was about 5 ft. 3 in. high, of a dark brown complexion, with 

 very flat features,, and grizzly hair which would vie with a ne- 

 gro's in twist. 



" His frame was spare to a degree, but hard ; his muscles knot- 

 ted and visible in every portion, of his light figure, which still 

 retained the the elasticity of mauhood, notwithstanding his 

 age, which must have been about fifty-five or sixty. His eyes 

 small and piercing, moved about in a restless, suspicious man- 

 ner, which nothing could prevent, and in this feature the Ma- 

 lays are wont to reeognise a wild man. 



" I was told that when a man wanted to marry he first of all 

 spoke to the girl; if she agreed, he then went to the father and 

 mother, taking some jungle produce as a gift. The terms of 

 purchase were then, arranged — usually a piece of iron, some roots 

 and flowers ; and when these were forthcoming a day was fixed 

 for the ceremony, which consisted simply of a feast in the neigh- 

 bourhood of an ant-hill (where the Malays suppose that spirits 

 reside), after which the couple leave and proceed to some favou- 

 rable spot for their honey moon, returning at leisure to the tribe. 

 It is a most peculiar feature with these people that the marriage 

 law exists at all ; and further, the stringency which attacues to it 

 is astounding. Polygamy is allowed, but is seldom practised ; 

 while the punishment for adultery is death — usually carried out 

 by a relative, who invites his victim to a hunting excursion, and, 

 after tiring him out, beats his brains out with a club while he is 

 asleep, and leaves him to rot on the earth denying to his re- 

 mains the rough sepulture given to those who die in an honour- 

 able way, whose remains are laid on a log of wood, in a sitting 



posture, and buried a foot or two under the ground 



I made strict enquiries as to their belief, naturally concluding 

 there would exist some idea of a Supreme Being ; but, to my 

 surprise these people had no idea of a God ; they had no repre- 

 sentative caves or sacred spots ; nothing was looked upon as 

 supernatural ; they did not bother themselves to imagine a cause 

 for thunder or lightning, or sun or moon, or any of the pheno- 

 mena which one and all give rise in other savages to poetical 

 ideas of dragons, combats, and destroying spirits. The Sakei 

 were born, lived as best they could, died, rotted, and there 

 ended. They build no houses, seldom stop more than two days 

 in one spot, and pursue a thoroughly nomadic life, having no 

 flocks or herds, existing from hand to month, but free and 

 this they prize to a wonderful degree. Nothing will induce a 



