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of certain long-bladed creeses, given a turn so as to 
bring its butt end practically at right-angles to the 
blade. This is due to the peculiar method of holding 
the weappn in stabbing. The blade, in most types, 
broadens considerably towards the base and the 
weapon is grasped pistol-fashion with the flat of the 
blade horizontal. 
Creese-hilts are often fancifully carved. One type 
is supposed to represent a kingfisher’s head, another a 
man suffering from fever, who clasps his body with 
his arms. Their material may be wood, ivory, buffalo 
horn or silver. 
The sheath of the creese is invariably built up in 
three sections made of four pieces. There is the tail- 
piece, the sheath proper — made of two pieces of wood — 
which encloses most of the blade, and a cross-piece at 
the top, made from a solid piece of wood with a slot 
cut in it to admit the passage of the blade. 
The creeses of the rich and of nobles are frequently 
embellished with silver and gold mounts and casing. 
To return, however, to the creese-blades; where 
these are watered and damascened this has been pro- 
duced by welding together a number of flat pieces of iron 
and steel of different origins and by adding soTne 
separate ornaments. It is the welds which eventually 
form the waterings, while the added pieces form 
patterns down the centre of the blade. The blade is 
ultimately etched with acid to bring out its structure 
and treated with arsenic to give it a silvery sheen. 
Many other types of thrusting and cutting weapons 
are found in the Peninsula. Some of them are pretty 
obviously foreign introductions following the types 
of Arabic or Indian swords and knives; others appear 
to be native or introduced from other Malayan 
