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guard of palm-spathe is often worn to protect the 
foot from injury. The knee is also used to propel 
the ball. 
Kite-flying is another amusement in which 
adults indulge, though it is much in favour with 
the young as well. The kite-flying season is after 
harvest, when strong winds prevail. Where con- 
tests take place, the strings of the kites are covered 
with powdered glass, stuck on with glue, and the 
object of each man is to cut another’s kite-string. 
Kites are of many fanciful shapes and are without 
tails. An automatic instrument of bamboo and 
rattan, attached to the kite, makes a humming noise 
when the kite is in the air. 
In Pahang a curious pastime, a sort of con- 
querors, is, or was, in favour among the upper 
classes, and it is said that sometimes considerable 
sums of money are lost and won in betting. A 
hard fruit of a special kind is placed in a peculiar 
type of press, which is slightly reminiscent of a 
lemon-squeezer. When the press has been secured 
by means of a bolt, a sudden blow is given with 
the heel on the part of it which encloses the nut. 
If the nut breaks its owner loses. 
Top-spinning contests are also much favoured. 
The Malay top is spun by a tapered cord wound 
round its upper part. 
A curious boxing dance, if we may call it so, 
is still in vogue, in which the two male performers, 
after numerous posturings and passes, come into 
contact, when blows are given, warded off and 
returned before posturing is again resumed. There 
is often a musical accompaniment to the performance 
and drums play a prominent part in this. 
