Daily Republican., 1888-01-17
AMORER OATCaERs.

4 WO luhtuuCtS nave TcCeDLIy Aps
peared Of that strange and sanguinary
custom of the Fast called running
amuck." "Running amuck" is a
phrase derived from the Malay word
"amok" (killing) and constitutes a
well-marked hys,erical Oriental coun-
tries. Ii ia rarely, If ever, manifested
among the quiettemrered Hindus,
and but seldom among the Indian
Mussulmans, while, whenever it does
occur In Hindostan, the malady may
generally be traced to the abuse OF
opium or the extract OF hemp called
bhang, ganja, or charras. The Hindu
tobacconist sells a special CONNECTION
made up of bhang, opium, datura,
cloves, mastic, cinnamon and carda
NUNS, which is mixed with milk and
sugar and eaten as u sweetmeat.
Ibis diabolical cake-known Is ma.
ljum-will drive man mad about as
soon as anything With the Malays,
however, who have given name to
the terrible mental alteration of which
we speak, and who are by far the most
addicted to it of all Eastern people,
there is seldom any such explanation
of the outbreak. Suddenly, without
rhyme or reason, a man will spring
up from his shop. board or his couch,
ldraw his kris-the wave blRded dag.
ger which they all carry-and, with q
scream OF "Amokl Amokl" strikes itt
Ipoint into the heart of tho nearest
Iwayiarer and darts down the Gro I'D ed
bazaar like the lunatic which he is
l"Amokl Amokl" echoes from hun
dreds of mouths, and everybody hur-
ries fora place of refuge, fleeing in all
directions, except those holder spirits
who snatch up weapons of defense
and join the armed throng which pur
sues the desperate.
The path of the chase is soon strewr
with bodies of men, women and chill
dren, dead or bleeding to death, unit
some lucky shot or daring thrust dis
adj es the murderer, who Is pierced
with dozen blades as soon as he fall
to the ground. Occasionally it turn
out that the ''amoker" has received
some personal aifront or injury or wa
lhopelessly in debt or disappointed il
love; but more commonly there i
nothing whatever to account for thu
lwild fury of his proceedings, and TIL
street sweepers drag his carcass awaI
as carelessly as II a leopard hal beer
slain in the public streets. So orLi
mary, indeed, is the occurrence that il
many towns and cities where there
lives large Malay population an in
Istrument is kept in readiness at every
lpolce station called the "amoke
Icatcher. 1t is something like an ee
Ispear with very long handle, and 81
Icontrived that two elastic -pointet
spikes close round the madman's neck
and secure him help'essly when TIT
iron prongs are pushed against hi
nape from behind.
Neither rank nor wealth keeps I
Malay from this sudden access O
homlcidal mania if he has the predis
Iposition or has been greatly excited
There was an instance Mt Salatiga, il
the island of Java, where the Regen
Twas celebrating the marriage OF two o
J his daughters, and every body was in
|, festive and joyous mood. Just, how
ever, at the Payest moment of the cere
monies the Regents brother-in- law,
high official, came rushing through
: the procession, siabbing everybody h
lcould get at with his ieweled kris
THE Regent himself, coming up to IN
e Iquire into the uprOar, was killed by
: single thrust, and ii was the brother @
. the Prince who ran the "moker
through the back with a spear an
drought him down. vet not before Ii