ABORIGINAL TRIBES : THE CENTRAL SAKAI. 57 
to carrying out the contract This is true, at least, 
of the Mai Darat : tlie Mai MUoi are said to be laxer, to 
leave everjtlang to sexual passion , to have no maiTiage 
ceremonies, and even to exchange wives from time 
to time. Polygamy is tolerated though very rare. 
Among the Mai MUoi divorce is said to be as in- 
formal as marriage, and even among the Mai Dttrat 
of Tapah it is simply a matter fnr the parties to decide 
for themselves ; among the Mai Darat of Kampar 
marriage is taken more seriously and is only dissolved if 
the elders of the comraunity permit its dissolution, in 
which case a twig is broken solemnly to typify what 
is being done. In disease the only doctor is the na- 
halaiL When a Sakai dies who is not a ua-halan he 
is buried in the ground, and his blow-pipe, quiver, and 
chopper, with food enough for one meal, are left upon his 
grave to provide the soul with a repast preparatory 
to his last long journey. What happened if the soul was 
left unfed ? " He would hunt up his relatives to know 
the reason why.** Why only one meal? "Because one 
meal is enougli to get him away from the spot — and that 
is all that the relatives want." Aud whither did the 
sold go on this last long journey ? " Allah only knows/' 
said my Sakai who had picked up many Malay ex- 
pressions, " I cannot gues*s. I have heard our old men 
say that the soul goes to God, but what they meant 
by this is more than I can tell you.'* He may have 
known more than he choose to reveal, but this was all 
that I could learn from him. And, after all, few 
civilised meu could give a better explanation. 
