The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-02-22
ANOTHER EVOLUTION.
THE CAMPHOR LANGUAGE.
A Strange Tongue Used by the Natives of
Johore.

| A Strange Tongue Used by the Natives o
Johore.
One OF the strangest languages in TIT
world, used for the queerest of pur
poses, is the ''camphor language" O
Johore, country of the Malay PENN
sula. 1t has lately been studied anC
reported upon by Mr.. Lake, an English
engineer in the service of the sultan Of
JohOre. This language is called the
"Pantang Kapor," or camphor Ian
guage, and is used by the natives
and all others who are engaged in
gathering the product of the Malayan
camphor-tree, and only at that time.
If they used either of the languages OF
the region, the Malay or theaboriginal
Jakun, the natives believe that they
could not obtain any camphor; and for
a most curious reason.
The camphor-tree, Dryobalanops cam
phora, grows abundantly in certain
parts of the peninsula, but occasional
ly contains camphor crystals. The
camphor is not the same as that OBJ
tanned from the camphor laurel of
Formosa and Japan, which is the source
1t is of a sort very highly priced by the
Chinese in the embalming of their dead,
in incense and in medicine, and the
gum brings price much higher than
that of the common camphor.
The Malayans and other Johore ma.
tives believe that each species of tree
has spirit, or divinity, that presides
over its affairs. The spirit of the cam
phor-tree is known by the name of
Bisan-literally "a woman" Her rest
ing-place is near the trees; and when,
at night, a peculiar noise is heard in
the woods, resembling that of cicada,
the Bisan is believed to be singing and
camphor will surely be found in the
neighborhood.
But the spirit of the camphor-trees
seems to be jealous of the precious
gum, and must be propitiated, and if
she knows that hunters are in quest of
it she will endeavor to turn their steps
aside. For from Mr.. Lakes account
the supposit ton is probable that the
natives think that she is acquainted
with both the Malay and Jakun Ian
guages, and if the camphor-hunters
spoke either of those she would know
that they had come for camphor, and
would defeat their purpose. So it is
necessary to speak in a tongue which
she does not understand. For this
purpose the ''camphor language" has
been invented. 1t consists of mix
ture of Jakun and Malay words, but
these are curiously altered or reversed;
and the natives possibly believe that
the divinity of the camphor-tree is
completely confused when she hears
this jargon. They speak it when they
are on camphor expeditions.
The Jakuns who hunt the eamphor
are one of the widest of people, but
inoffensive. They live. together with
monkeys, dogs, cat ,innumerab BILE fowls
and perhaps tame hornbill, in perfect
harmony, under movable leaf shelters
built on poles in the woods.
They have a formidable weapon in a
sort of blowpipe, not unlike the pipe
through which the American schoolboy
projects wet paper balls. The Johore
blowpipe is made of a very long-jointed,
straight variety of bamboo. which is
carved and traced with many
rude devices.
The projectiles used in these are
thin splinters of wood about foot |
long, having plug of pith at the
butt end. The point is as sharp as
needle, and is covered with black |
resinous substance, which in many |
cases is extremely poisonous. Monkeys |
and other small animals struck with |
one of these darts die from the effects |
almost instantly. On man and the |
larger animals its effect is less rapid,
but quite as deadly. The poison is
supposed to be obtained
from the upas tree.
The Jakuns provide the graves of /
their dead with food, just as the North
American Indians do. They also
furnish them with cook
ing utensils and torches. With these
people the forest is indeed full of
spirits, not the least important of which
Is the spirit of the camphor tree, whom
they believe they fool so adroitly with
their ''camphor language. Youths
Companion.