The examiner., 1882-03-04
Running A.Muck

huuU1US A"MuCh
 The Malay is singular combination of opposite qualities. Naturally dull, slothful and fond of ease he is easily His liability to frenzy is due to intense nervousness, and to an extravagant idea of personal dignity. He is as sensitive strung are his nerves, that under cer- l tain Gil 1cumstances his will comes under the influence of those he meets. He initiates their gestures and mimics their peculiarities. If the person chance to be an enemy, he will continue this mimicking until it works him up into frenzy, and then there is a volcanic eruption. "Amok amok p is the warning cry, that announces that some Malay has become terror to his fellows. All flee from him and rush to shelter themselves. The madman is blind to everything but the desire to kill. He is running a-muck." This popular phrase designates the reckless, bloodthirsty career of 8 Malay as he rushes through crowd, striking with his terrible kriss, right and left. He makes no distinction between friend and foe. Expecting to be slain, he oies contentedly, If he stays score, before yielding up his own wretched life.
 Forr erly, when the cry "Amok!" was heard in Singapore, every one tried to kill the runner, as if he were mad dog. Nowadays the object is to take him alive, that he may be tried and punished. A public death ny hanging is thought tole more of preventive of amok running than killing the ma niac in the midst of the melee. The police are therefore armed with stout, short pronged pitchfork, with which to catch the maniac by the throat and pin him to wall.
 During the run the excitement is in- tense. Shrieks ot 'Amok amok l" are heard far in advance of the madman. People fly to the right and left, tramp ling over each other in their haste to escape. Wild cries and groans an- nounce the advance of the murderer. He stabs as he flies, plunging his kriss into the back of the fleeing man. Leap ing over the fallen body he avoids a thrust and returns it with deadly effect. Bleeding victims mark his course. Flu r0peans shoot at him from their revo1- vers. Some shots take effect; more miss. Malays wait on one side, kriss in hand. One dcdges the mans thrust and gives him cut. Frenzy has made him a giant in endurance. He rushes on until brought to bay against some wall. Holding aloft his gory kriss, he deties the crowd to approach. A policeman steps to the front. Thrusting with his pitchfork he catches the maniac by the throat and pins him to the wall. The kriss is removed from his bloody hand, and bound he is led off to prison.
 Psychologists have given various opinions as to the cause of the amok. Some attribute it to the use of opium. Others speak of it as mania induced by some disease of the digestive organs. An English officer whose long residence among the Malays gives authority to his opinion, says that it is national custom which originated in the desper- ate and applauded act of some revenge full Malay. Tradition handed down his exploit with commendation. His ex- ample was followed as the right thing for Malay to do when insulted or apprehensive of deadly danger.
 In Japan public opinion formerly compelled a gentleman when insulted to commit hari-kari, that is, to commit suicide by disemboweling himself. The Malays hold that an ofense must be wiped out in blood. "A wound may heal, but it always leaves scar" says a Malayan proverb, inculcating revenge. Custom makes it honorable to become infuriated, and to kill score of persons instead of killing himself. He knows he will be killed, but that the very men who kill will applaud his bloody deeds.
 That the amok is made subservient to the will in order to gratify revenge is proved by evidence. My eyes got dark and I ran on," said an Imprisoned amok-runner, excusing himself by alleg- ing blind fury. '' I ardently long fo1 his blood to clean my face blackened with charcoal,' wrote Malay, indicat ing his desire to run a-muck to avenge ar
 insult. s' desire to wash out the pollu tion of the hog's flesh withwhich he has
 smeared me-" wrote another. He was
 Mussulman, to whom the touch of porl was defilement. The figure expressed his sense of the insult, and his contemp for the offender.