FASCICULI MALATENSES 
5 
the woman described below served the same purpose against what was 
described as sakit pinggang or ‘ pains in the waist.’ 
Both the men and the woman wore as their only clothing a T-bandage 
of cloth obtained from Malays or Chinamen. In the case of the men this 
was so cut as to form a bag in front which acted as a suspender. Over the 
bandage the woman wore a girdle of dead leaves, and over this a peculiar belt, 
which appears to be characteristic of the women of all Semang tribes. The 
leaves and the belt were regarded as charms, not as clothing. The belt was 
made from the rhizomorph 1 of a fungus which is abundant locally among 
dead leaves in the jungle, and is regarded in those districts where it does not 
occur as ‘ strong medicine.’ It is known to the Malays as urat batu, ‘ nerves’ 
or c tendons of the rock.’ Growing in leathery filaments, with a shiny black 
surface, and about 2 mm. in diameter, it is cut by the Hami into pieces about 
a foot in length ; these are doubled and fastened over a string of twisted 
vegetable fibre by means of a clove-hitch in such a way that they hang down 
in a fringe five or six inches broad. These fringes are wound round the waist 
as many times as their length will permit. The men wore bracelets of plaited 
rattan and urat batu. The woman’s hair was ornamented by two bamboo 
combs, stuck into it one in front and one behind. In shape and pattern they 
Fig. i , Hami Woman’s Bamboo Hair Comb. Mabek, Jalor, 
Scale, J- 
somewhat resembled those worn by the Sakai women of South Perak, but 
were larger and had a projection at each end on the top (Fig. i). She made no 
l. The fungus is Polyporus , sp. We are indebted to Professor Harvey Gibson for this identification. 
