632 
MALAY AMOKS.* 
The character of the unsophisticated Malay is remarkable 
for its simplicity and honesty; having no artificial wants 
they are satisfied and content with what would be considered 
positive destitution by a Chinese, they are consequently apa¬ 
thetic and inactive, and will not for any amount offered to 
them, labour beyond their usual habits, or customary rou¬ 
tine ; they have little if any speculative turn ; they have a 
regard for truth and may generally be depended upon in 
their statements. What has so often been written of their 
revengeful spirit is much exaggerated ; polite in the extreme 
according to their own ideas, they never indulge in abuse 
one towards the other, the only reply to any deviation from 
this rule is the Kriss, for which they will watch their op- 
pertunity and most certainly not afford their adversary any 
advantage it is in their power to deprive him of. This is their 
code of honor, and being fully aware of it amongst themselves, 
provocation is seldom given, aid satisfaction as seldom re¬ 
quired. When goaded however to the necessity they become 
perfectly reckless, and should discovery attend the deed they 
attempt no refutaion but sell their lives at the utmost cost 
they can to the captors. Too often have I known the Officers 
of Police compelled to shoot them on these occasions. Such 
is one species of “Amok’* and how offenders of this descrip¬ 
tion are to be dealt with, can admit of but little doubt, but 
there is another variety of the te Orang Beramok” vastly dif¬ 
ferent, and by no means the least frequent, which requires 
discrimination on the part of the Medical Jurist, to prevent 
irresponsible persons suffering the penalty of the injured 
Law. For instance a man sitting quietly amongst his freinds 
and relatives will, without provocation, suddenly start up 
weapon in hand and slay all within his reach. I have known 
so many as 8 killed and wounded by a very feeble individual 
in this manner. Next day when interrogated whether he was 
not sorry for the act he had committed, no one could be more 
contrite; when asked why then did you do it, the answer has 
invariably been 6e the Devil entered into me, my eyes were 
darkened, I did not know what I was about.” I have received 
this same reply on at least twenty different occasions; on 
. * With reference to our notice of amoks in the last number of the Journal we 
insert the following remarks, extracted from an official Medical Report on Singa¬ 
pore by Dr Oxley. They are of very great practical value, and we hope some of the 
other medical gentlemen in the Straits will favour us with the results of their 
observations on this deeply interesting subject. The importance of the diffusion of 
correct views respecting it cannot be overrated. 
