208 ETHNOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS IN THE MALAY PENINSULA. 



I. 



MELANESIA^ TRIBES IN THE INTERIOR OF THE 

 MALAYAN PENINSULA. 



The Oeang Sakai and the Orang Semang. 



(Opinions of Authors). — As I have pointed out already 

 in my first communication (5) our information respecting- 

 the tribes in the interior of the Peninsula was very contra- 

 dictory and therefore little reliable. With respect to the 

 Orang Sakai and the Orang Semang we had the same contra- 

 dictory information; thus, for instance, Low, who had seen 

 them, says of the Sakai that their complexion does not differ 

 from that of theMalays (6). Of the Orang Semang' Newbold 

 says, that they are scarcely different from the Jalrans or 

 the Orang Utan of Johor who have almost a Malayan ap- 

 pearance. (7). 



I decidedly disagree with these statements, though I have 

 no doubt, that these gentlemen, who as noticed already, had 

 known personally individuals of the respective tribes, made 

 their observations accurately. The explanation of this is 

 to be found in the fact that there are cross-breeds betAveeu 

 the Orang Sakai and the Malays and that some of them 

 exhibit a Malayan type ; and as in consequence of this blood 

 relationship they are more closely connected with the Ma- 

 lays and are therefore more frequently to be met with 

 in the Malay Kampongs the above-named gentlemen, who 

 had made no exursions into the interior, took these cross- 

 breeds for representatives of the pure type. Logan (8) 

 though differing from some others, says, that the Orang 

 Semang are certainly Negritos, but he calls them a mixed race. 

 According to my experience I must declare this also to be 

 incorrect. 



From my own experience and observations I have come to 

 the conclusion, that the Orang SaJcai and the Orang Semang 



5 MilduJio Maclay. Echuologische Excursion in Johor. Natuurkundig. 

 Tijdsehrift,, Th. xxxy, pag. 250. 



o" "Their complexion does not differ from that of the Malays.'' The Semang 

 and Sakai tribes of the Malay Peninsula, by Lieut, Col. James Laic. 

 Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia vol. iv. page 429. 



7 T. J. 'Newbold, Political and Statistical account of the British Settle- 

 ments in the Straits of Malacca, 1839, page 377. 



S Logan. The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, 

 vol. viii p. 31 32. 



