BLACK AET IN MALAY MEDICINE 95 



two bamboo " cressets " is for the other Dewas as well 

 as that on the little mat called peng. The cargo on 

 board the small boat and the contents of the basket 

 cradle called " the princess hall " is also intended for 

 them. 



The craft of the homor is not always employed in 

 heahng the sick; for instance, when it is desired to 

 attribute the sickness of a friend to the witchcraft of 

 an enemy, the services of a certain homor are available 

 who will undertake to arrange, for remmierationj that 

 the opprobrium is fixed on the victim of a plot. A few 

 years ago, with this spiteful object in view, a small 

 bamboo cylinder containing an addled egg and some 

 porcupine quills was buried in the path leading from a 

 sick man's house to the river at Temerloh, in Pahang, 

 and doubtless if a familiar such as the hajang spirit 

 had been available it would have been included in the 

 bamboo cyhnder. 



The hajang is alhed to the 'pelesitt w^hich is said to be 

 the pilot of the ev^il polong. When not an inheritance 

 the f along can be acquired by means of special witch- 

 craft. It is lured from the corpse of a newly buried 

 still-boni baby by means of incantations. This black 

 witchcraft is carried out at the dead of night by 

 standing over the grave and coaxing the pohng out 

 of its lair. Mr. H. Marriott relates the story of a 

 Malacca paumig or boinor named Musa %vho was said 

 to earn his livmg by bewitching clnldren and causing 

 their death by the aid of a familiar called the pohng. 

 There seems to be httle doubt that this sinister bonwr 

 traded on his reputation ; so many children died that 

 it was not a difficult matter* for such a fellow to 

 get travel-money and proceed to another village 

 (Ret 2). 



The homor cannot rival the ** Leech of Folkestone '' 



