The Nevada Democrat., 1859-12-07
WHOLE NO. 322,
The sfen-Nfonkcys OF Malacca-Thcir Mode
OF Life, Marriage, Customs, Etc.

n
ofLife, Marriage, Customs, Etc.
A correspondent of the Boston Traveller,
writes from Shanghai most interesting ac-
count Of the habits of the Jakeous, a barbarous
people who inhabis the interior of Malaccs,
Their language aud features are unlike those
OF the Malays proper, Of whom they are also
politically independent They have no history
having been found by the early Pcrt1g gu se
voyagers in the country in which they still re-
side. They are called the 0rang Bennar, or
"men Of the great country" the Orang-Y
or "men of the forests;'' the 0rang Semang, or
"black men;" the Jakoons and the Kalats,
0ran is the Malay word for man and Utan. or
Hutang, for forest, whence the word so COM
mon with us, Ouran-outang, or wild men, II
men they may be called. when common opinion
has assigned them rank hardly above mon1
keys and balloons.
They generally live in houses built of bam-
boo 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 a stranger cannot be admitted
without annoyance to q member of the family,
or bis exclusion, for one must 60 down when
new one comes up. Others, who have no taste
for these aerial abodes--nests, not for birds,
but for men-construct huts two or three feet
above the ground. The first story serves for
lodging, where they eat, and sleep, by the side
of fire kept brightly burning in order 10
frighten away the tigers and other wild beasts
that Gil the forest. In the second story they
put their arms for safety, their provisions and
kitchen utensils, all of which are comprised IN
pixies in earthen pots, and Que or two great
China bowls.
They eat whatever comes to hand, as wild
boars. apes and birds, which last are taken ell
ther in shares or shot by arrows, and the roos
aud tu5ers which the earth produces In abun-
dance. II they plant rice, II Is only enough to
meet their absolute wants. Instead Of regular
labor they prefer the fatiguing adventures OF
the chase, and running along the woods. Their
Stisins Is Of the lowest order, their fav0rite
dish being slices of meat halfcooked and still
reeking with blood.
Their weddings are preceded by most sin,
gular aud laderous 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 whish the young lady, the
bride, sets out running upon all fours, aud tho
young man, who Ia the bridegroom, In the same
style after her. II be succeeds in overtaking
her she becomes his wife, if not, he forfeits all
bis rights, and cloves labor Is lost" This Of
ten happens when the bridegroom falls Of pleas,
ing the young lady, who endeavors to escape
from the embraces of distasteful or odous
husband by beating him in this queer trotting
match.
Upon the death OF one of their number. they
wrap bis body in a white winding-sheet, aud
then deposit II In grave dug near bis hut, and
sometimes IN an erect position. sometimes sit
ting, and sometimes lying down. They are
careful to put lance at bis side 'paring"
and "sumpitan," their instruments Of war
and hunting, but never use any religious cere-
mony. Still. these weapons placed by the sido
of the corpse indicate shadowy belief Ia fu-
ture existence.
Their religion IL a confused mass ofthe gross
est superstitions, pr0pagated by the "Payansh
a kind of priests. who are half physicians and
half jugglers. Their magical science is in great
esteem with the Malays. The singular kind Of
life they lead, the popularity OF their costume,
and the long intervals Of their appearance
among the people. secure for them a certain
prestige and respect. Seen from afar and
through mysterious veil, they pass for be-
ings endowed with superhuman power, from
whom the plants and roots OF the forest have
received their most secret virtues. In q word,
they are believed 10 hold ia their hands the
power Of comforting health or inhicting death.
In accordance with this belief the Maays are
careful uot TO provoke their ill.will.
Naturally the Jakoons are of an open and in
genuous disposition. and withal inclined to ga-
ETY.. To the appearance of timdty they join
the Independence of a life without CONTROL
spent In the midst of thick forests, and ever
lasting verdure. Respectful without being SER
vile, in conversation they use an abrubt aud
violent tone OF voice, which strongly contrasts
with their habitual gentleness and mOdesty.
They love strong liquors and get intoxicated
whenever they have all opportunity.
II Is honorable to the zeal of the Catholic
priests that they have missionary, who. not
wthslanding the low rank Of these people in
the sCale Of humanity, the wide territory over
which they are scattered, and the thick forests
which IL IL necessary to penetrate to reach them
and the absence Of oil roads, while ferocious
wild beasts are thick at every step, is laboring
among them aud makes his home with them.
Such are the people In whom originated the
idea and the stories about the ouran-outang---
"the man Of the forests"