INHABITING THE MALAYAN PENINSULA- 35 



geuenilly rutlo, and agree perfectly with 

 the austere aspect of tlieir habitation; i 

 have heard tJieni too sinofinir in a melan- 

 choly tone, cliieny during tite night. Tln.'ir 

 songs, tliough I'ude, are not altogether disa- 

 grceahle to European ears, provided the; 

 be not loo delicate. 1 was niucii sui prised 

 to remark that though they are entirely 

 ignorant ol our European music, which tliey 

 have never heard, yet in great jtart of tlieir 

 songs, ifiey proceed by thirds and by fifths 

 assuredly witiiout being avvai'e of it, bul 

 only guided by their eai*; vvfiicli confii'ms 

 the opinion ofour European nnisicians who 

 allirju that the third, the fifth and the oc- 

 tave are found in nature itself; and vvbati 

 myself have many times observed in any 

 sound, principally in that of a Ixd] , that 

 there are three sounds winch are at once 

 to be distinguished witti some attention, 

 viz., I he diapason, tite third and tlio lillh. 

 Some authors speak of a kind of violin and 



