26 
FASCICULI MALATENSES 
In a well-defined district, commencing near Lenggong in Upper Perak, 
reaching across the main range of the Peninsula and ending abruptly at 
Ben dang Stah near the Jalor-Rhaman border, this raja has become practically 
a local saint or genius, equally revered by Buddhists and Mahommedans, though 
there are many persons still living who claim to remember his earthly reign. 
In this district no native will start on a journey in the jungle without first 
lighting a taper in honour of ’Toh Ni and asking for his protection in the 
woods. No formula of dedication is used, but the traveller ‘ remembers ’Toh 
Ni in his heart.’ No sacred place is visited, but the taper is often fastened to a 
large jungle tree, sometimes to the posts of a house or even to the side of an 
elephant howdah. Outside of ’Toh Ni’s country it is not customary to make 
him offerings unless they have been vowed within its borders, but if a promise 
has been made it may be fulfilled elsewhere. A Patani man whom I knew 
was travelling with his uncle in ’Toh Ni’s country when he fell sick of a fever. 
The uncle promised to light twenty-four wax tapers in honour of ’Toh Ni if 
he recovered, which he did at once. But the vow was not fulfilled. The two 
men returned to the coast, where my friend was taken ill—worse than before. 
The uncle remembered his vow and offered the candles there and then, thus 
securing his nephew’s immediate recovery. 
’Toh Ni is believed to object to quarrelling and evil speaking of all kinds 
in his country, especially after dark, and is said to avenge himself on those 
who forswear themselves by him. If anyone does this at night he hears a 
rustling in the trees ; if he persists, he dies with his neck so twisted that his 
face is over his back. A woman was said to have died in this way shortly 
before my visit to Rhaman. 
’Toh Ni was not only raja of the human state of Rhaman, but also of 
the spirit-land of Lakawn Suka, which he could make near or far, anywhere 
or nowhere, as he pleased. As a rule it is supposed to lie somewhere at the 
headwaters of the Sutigei Lakawn Suka, a tributary of the Patani up which it 
is said that no man has ever made his way. The following story 1 is told 
regarding this country in Rhaman ; I had it from one of my raftsmen on the 
river :■—’Toh Ni had lost some elephants and had sent three of his young 
men to search for them in the woods, where they wandered for many days. 
At last they came to a fair city with a fine guest-house, into which their leader 
went, leaving his two companions without, and bidding them speak to no one. 
Within he found an old man, who was really a spirit, mending a casting-net, 
and was told that the elephants had been found. Meanwhile a beautiful 
i. It is quite possible that this legend may refer to some jungle tribe still existing, for the sources of the Patani 
River and its tributaries are still unexplored. 
