260 
TUB BINUA OF JOHORE# 
nor In fact any land whatever, lias sufficient value to command a 
price, the durian tree is not unfrequently the subject of sale. One 
dollar is paid for each of the buttress like projections (hanfa) which 
the trunk of the durian, like that of several other Malayan trees, 
throws out on approaching’ the ground. Those with plain stems are 
valued at two dollars. Durian groves are sometimes rented for a 
piece of cloth, or other equivalent of a few dollars, and by the hdddt 
the renter is invariably entitled to the produce for two successive 
seasons. This is probably founded in reason for durians have gene¬ 
rally alternate light and heavy crops. 
The Mintira give great feasts in the fruit season. A large Balei 
‘ having been constructed, and abundance of arrack tampui (the 
fermented juice of the fruit of that tree) prepared, the whole 
country round about is invited. The families under one Batin 
are the feast givers. A string of rattan or other substance, hav¬ 
ing knots to indicate the number of days to the feast, is sent to 
each of the other Batins. The Batin assembles all the neople 
under him, men, women and children, who repair in their best 
clothes to the place of the feast. If any Batin fails to attend, he 
incurs a fine of 20 rupees. The Panglima receives them at the 
door of the balei with a cup of arrack tampiif, and takes their spears 
and other weapons from them. They enter the balei and dance 
round it thrice with their arms akimbo, after which they sit down and 
partake of sfri. The dinner of rice, kledi, wild hog, monkey, fish, 
coconut &c., is then served. When the dinner is over, the arrack is 
brought forward, and all freely partake of it, except the children un¬ 
der six or seven years of age. Dancing then commences and is kept 
up all night and often to the middle of the next day, those who are 
exhausted lying down to sleep in the balei, husband and wife togetheiv 
During the dance they are cheered with the music of the rubana, 
gindang, and suling. The women dance together in the centre of 
the Balei each grasping the arm of her neighbour. The men dance 
round them. One of the men sings or chants a stanza, generally im¬ 
promptu, and one of the women answers. The dancing consists of 
a peculiar shuffling and stamping of the feet, and the only difference 
between that of the men and the women consists in the latter swaying 
the hips to and fro at every step. Abundance of sugar canes and plan¬ 
tains are hung round the balei and every one helps himself when he 
chooses. These feasts are kept up for weeks and even months, and 
in fact are only finished when the supply of arrack fails. Guests come 
and go while it lasts. Parties daily repair to the forest in search of 
