The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-10-14
The Men Monkeys of Malacca--Mode
of Life, Marriage, Customs, sc.

A correspondent OF the Boston Traveller
writes from Shan3 hai an interesting account
of the habits of the Jakoons, barbarOus
people who inhabit the interior of Maiacca
The language and features are unlike those
of the Malays proper, of whom they are
also politically independent. They have nc
history, having been found by the early
Portuguese voyagers in the country in which
they still reside. They are called the Organg
Bennar, or "men of the great country )" the
Orapg Ubi, or "men of the high rivers y
the Orang Hutang, or "men of the forests y
the Orang Semang, or "black men," the
Jakoons and the Kaiats. Orang is the Ma
lay word for man and Titan or Hufang for
forest, whence the word so common with US
DURAN outang, or wild men, if men they may
be called, when common opinion has assigned
them rank hardly above monkeys and
balloons.
They generally live in houses built of
bamboo sticks, and suspended to the tops of
lofty trees, to. which they ascend by rude
ladders These cabins, suspended to the
tree-tops, are so narrow that stranger
cannot be admitted without annoyance to a
member of the family, or his exclusion; for
one must 60 down when another comes up.
Others who have no taste for these aerial
abodes-nests, not for birds, but for men
construct huts raised two or three feet above
the ground. The first story serves for lodg-
ing, where they eat and sleep, by the side of
fire always kept brightly burning, in Or
der to brighten away the tigers and other
wild beasts which fill the forests. In the
second story they put their arms for safety,
their provisions and kitchen utensils, all of
which are comprised in pixies, in earthern
pots, and one or two great China bowls
They eat whatever comes to hand as
wild boars, apes and birds, which last are
taken either in snares or shot by arrows,
and the roots and tubers which the earth
produces in abundance. If they plant rice,
it is only enough to meet their absolute
wants. Instead of regular labor, they pre-
fer the fatiguing adventures of the chase, and
running among the woods. Their cuisine
is of the lowest order, their favorite dish be-
ing slices of meat halt cooked, and still reek-
ing with blood.
Their weddings are preceded by most
singular and ludicrous ceremony. An old
man presents the future husband and wife to
large assemblage of invited guests, whom
he conducts, followed by their respective
families, into grand circle, around which
the young lady, the bride, sets out running
upon all tours, and the young man who is
the bridegroom in the same style after her.
If he succeeds in overtaking her she becomes
his wife; if not he forfeits all his rights, and
'love's labor is lost" This often happens
when the bridegroom fails of pleasing the
young lady, who endeavors to escape from
the embraces of distasteful or odiOus hus-
band by beating him in this queer trotting
match.
Upon the death of one of their number
they wrap his body in white winding sheet,
and then deposit it in the grave dug near
his hut, sometimes in an erect position,
sometimes sitting, and sometimes lying down.
They are careful to put lance at his side,
"parang," and "sumpitan," their instru-
ments of hunting and OF war, but never use
any religious ceremony. Still, these weapons
placed by the side of the corpse indicate a
shadowy belief in utureexistence.
Their religion is confused mass of the
grossest superstitions, propogated by the