348* REMARKS ON THE SLETAR AND SABIMBA TRIBES- 
planting 1 , and consequently their vegetables consist of the wild fruits 
of the jungle. This tribe is much more helpless than the Orang 
Sletar, being entirely dependant on the Malays for their arms and the 
greater part of their food. The sumpitan is the same as that used 
by the Dyaks of Sambas in Borneo from whence it is imported to 
Singapore, and from thence finds its way to Tambrau the river on 
which they are now located. The arrow of this is delicately fashion¬ 
ed, hut the orang Sabimba make a ruder description themselves. 
The arrows are poisoned with the juice of the Upas tree, and is call¬ 
ed ipoh. The tribe, consisting of 80 individuals young and old, are 
now employed in cutting rattans for the Malays who furnish rice, wea¬ 
pons and utensils in return; they liinted to me that they were a Boo- 
lang tribe, but appeared to have no distinct recollection of the period 
they had been deported from that island. The tribe is separate from 
all other tribes in the Peninsula, and the territory over which they now 
roam is unoccupied by others. They are unacquainted with the de¬ 
coction of inebriating liquors, though they informed me that the tribe 
formerly possessed the art, their habits are therefore as temperate as 
the Malays, They do not intermarry with the Malays nor will they 
part with their offspring for any consideration; towards the Chinese 
they bear great detestation removing always from their vicinity; this 
fact may be accounted for by the smallness of their numbers and from 
the wish to avoid the extirpation of their race. Their Batin or chief 
is named Bintang, and they owe fealty to the Tomungong of Jo- 
liore. 
They are equally atheistical with the Orang Sletar, nor are they 
imbued with any of the superstitions of the Malays ; of ghosts and 
witches they were ignorant, a fact difficult to believe. Of marriage 
ceremonies I was told they had none; the preparation of a shed, open 
on all sides, in size 6 feet by 4, covering a few sticks and leaves 
strewed on the ground, comprises all the bridegroom’s care; the price 
of a wife was stated to be 10 needles, 3 hanks of thread, 16 cubits of 
cloth and 3 reals. On any of their tribe being near death they leave 
this hut until they think all is over; they then remove the coi'pse on 
a plank shrouded in its clothes to a grave in which are buried toge- 
