SEMAN6 TRIBES. 
151 
Alias tribes of Perak, which have hitherto been classed 
with the Semang, or woolly-haired race of the neighbour- 
hood of Pinangj have curly but not woolly hair; and 
although .tbey retain the Papuan custom of boring the 
septum of the nose, and also mark their skins with 
cicatrices, they cannot be considered as Papuans — indeed 
their language and leading ehai-acteristics show them 
to be wild tribes of the Malayan jnee. Tbe Semang, 
however, who are identical in every particular with the 
Pangan of the interior of Triugauu, are Papuans in all 
their purity, with woolly and tufted hair in every respect 
similar to other unmixed tribes of the race. The Semaugs 
of Kedah have been very accurately described by Mr. 
Anderson, a gentleman who was for many years secretary 
to the Government of Pinaug ; and his account, which 
appeared originally in a Pinang newspaper, is here ex- 
tracted from the {om^ volume of the " Journal of the 
ludiaii A.rchipeUgo.'* 
" Of the origin of that most singular and curious race, 
called Semaug, the Malays possess no traditiou. Certain 
it is, however, that the tribes of them which inhabited 
various parts on both sides of the peninsula, were much 
more numerous, before many of the present Malayan 
colonies were founded by cinigrants from Sumatra. 
The Semaugs are designated by the Malaya, Semang 
Paya, Semang Bukit, Semang Bakow, and Semang Bila, 
The Paya are those who reside on the plains or borders of 
morasses ; the Semaug Biikit, whose abode is on the hilk, 
and the Semaug Bakow arc so called fi-om their fre- 
queuting the sea shore, and occasionally taking up their 
quarters in the mangrove jungles. The Semang Bila are 
