INHABITING THE MALAYAN PRNltSSULA. 101 



ihey resemble each otiier, with this diiFcr- 

 ence tliat the Malays are ignoraiU and pre- 

 tend to he the most enllghteiied jieoplc and 

 reiiise to hear any body. The Jakuiis are 

 ij^fnorant, but aware ol their ifTiioraiice; 

 ihoogh they are proud and independent, 

 yet they think that others know better than 

 themselves, and tliusbear easily to be taught. 

 With l espect to the latter^ tliougli tliese two 

 i*aces are superstitious, certainly the Ma- 

 lays are more so liian tiie Jakuns; and I 

 furtlier observed that those of the Jakuns 

 who have less correspondence with the Ma- 

 lays are also the less superstitious. 



From w hence then comes so remarkable 

 a dillerence between two peoples wlio have 

 inhabited the same country for so many 

 centuries, and who appear to have about 

 the same origin? This question presented 

 itsell many times to my mind, during my 

 several journeys in tJie interior of tiie Pen- 

 insula; and to it I liav** not yef rouiifl a 



