New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-01
AMONG THE MALA VS..
THEIR CUSTOMS OBSERVED BY THE
BRITISH RESIDENT.

BRITISH RESIDENT.
MALAY SKETcHEs Frank Pb hss'?S Ss Mstm
ian & Co.
Many years spent among the Malays' the later
ones as British Resident in Perak give Mr.. SWEET
tenham the right to speak with authority on MS
theme He writes OF race and OF times wnich are
RAPIDLY changing The Malay is still what he has
been these hundreds OF years But the hand Of
civilization Is upon him and upon the places where
no lurked so long unnotced. II is varied scene
70 which the author turns the attention OF MS redu
ers The ordinary notion OF Malay Is that o' d
murdercus cutthroat whose conduct furnished the
English language with the phrase running
or,ucL " put there appears to be much that can
he said for him in addition a description OF his
dones as a man OF blood Even what he calls
meng Amok becomes interesting in the descrpuoh
Of II which Mr.. Swettenham gives. To Malay
in his right mind. the idea OF revenge Is natural
II one OF his relatives is murdered it is his duty as
a member of the clan to aid In killing the SLAYER
The process is liable TO indefinite extension
one homicide is likely to be the precursor OF many.
An insult is likely also 10 lead TO murder' but
when the conditions such that direct vengeance
is impossible the victim OF wrong fea' OF
fancled becomes in time different sort of person
The author speaking of the relations OF the sexes,
remarks that all forms OF madness. mania ana
hrain- softening are rare. But mis- own narrative
suggests that running Amok Is usually the result
OF something very like insanity. when inc mao
man cannot kill whom he would ne Stakes MS
thirst for blood by killing all whom he can reacn
He means to be slain himself. and ne Keeps on
shaving till a thrust a blow ends his NE
This Is the most dangerous aspect OF the Malay
character But II is less remarkable than another
form OF mania which resembles hypholsHi' =
person subject to this is said to be htah \ look or
a touch Is sufficient TO make such person the
nat nloN 10
him. 1t is not even necessary that there shouiu
be any human agency In the matter. Mr. SWEET
tenham had an orderly subject 10 this DISEASE
once he observed the man stop under the brihches
OF a small tree. move his arms Ike man sflh-
ing an invisible enemy, and finally throw whatever
missiles he could ind at the tree. HIS Initiative
mania had been aroused by the movements OF hor-
nets which darted as II they were thrown from
their nest. He began TO make the same thrusuhs
motions and soon had the hornets about his ears.
Others had to bring him away from the place II
this man was told to strike any one he repeated
the suggestion in the exact words given hlih' anu
At the same time struck the blow. II the person
who was hit turned on him he would say. 1T was
not who hit YOU but that man who ordered me
W. swettenham has no doubt that he would have
committed a murder instantly II he had been told
TO do so while in the latah condition.
Though they are Mahometans. the Malays con-
tInue the practice Of their pagan sorcery. and Mr..
Sve,,enham has a story to tell which rivals those
O, other travellers in the East Crystal-skryins' or
what amounts to the same thing gazing at mir
ror or at the rejecting surface OF a llqiid' Is az
familiar TO them as to other races Nheh the
question was one OF discovering the name OF a
thief a native chief sat down. with the Koran on
a reading stand beside him. while two men bal
anced het-yeen them an earthen bowl. filled with
water and covered with piece OF white cotton
cloth on the bent forefngers OF their right hahus'
Mr. Swettenham wrote names on separate pieces OF
paper which he folded and placed on the cloth one
at a time For each name the chief read passage
from the Koran When a certain name was placed
on the cloth and the reading began. the bowl
turned and finally fell to the floor. Mr. Swetten-
ham had the experiment tired several times and ne
vouches for 1t that the bowl was sensitive only to
one name and that was in every case the same
The names which he wrote were known only to
himself and he did know one from another
uhen the papers we're folded. Another trick Of the
wizards is to draw water from sword by pressing
the fingers on the steel and moving them slowly
I'D and down the blade This Is SAID TO take the
temper out OF the steel. But Mr. Swettenham APP
parently does not describe this feat from the owl
dence of his own eyes. Malays n general believe
that there is tribe in sumara the members Of
which can transform themselves into tigers. They
also believe that person can take up his own
shadow-Chamisso would have been delighted with
this superstiton-and can thus possess himself Of
familiar spirit Those who succeed in this con-
! IL
something else TO be done when the shadow has
been disposed OF. Go home" said feminine ex-
pert land in the night. whether sleeping or walk
ing the form of n child will appear TO before you
and put it's tongue; that aeize, and II viii re-
main while the rest OF the child disappears In a
little while the tongue will turn into something
that breathes. a small animal. reptile or insect
and when you see the creature has life put IL in
a bottle and the pelst (spir!D Is yours"
Malays are rarely the victims OF either liquor
opium. But they nveterate gamblers and
they are passionately fond OF cockhghtng. They
like to borrow money. and they hate to pay II
back They have endless store Of proverbs
While you carry the Kings business your
head don't forget TO keep your own under your
arm" Is one OF the sayings which Mr.. Swetten-
ham quotes. Its application 20 disappointed and
dsgraced official s obvious. 1T Is sometimes one =
own forehnger that pokes one In the eye. II an
other homey example. In short. Mr.. Swettenham
finds the people charming when they have laid
aside their weapons. No race enjoys picnic
hunt for turtles days fishing better
than the Malays and such occasions hole vii
/ lagos 20 excursion together