Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-03-01
PECULIAR.
Language Used by Motives Who Gather
Campl.oE.

One or the StraEgCSb ldHB udSeS II
the world, used for the queerest pur-
poses, is the "campEor language" OF
Johore, a country Of the Malay penin-
sula. 1t has lately been studied and
reported upon by Mr.. Lake, an Eng
fish engineer in the service OF the
sultan Of Johore. This language IS
called the "Pantang Kapor," or cam
phor language and is used by the ma
tives and all others who are engaged
in gathering the product OF the Malay
an camphor tree, and only at that
time. If they use either of the Ian
guages of that region, the Malay or
aboriginal Jakun, the natives believe
that they could not obtain any cam
phor, and for a most curious reason.
The camphor tree, Dryobalanoys
camphora, grows abundantly in GER
tain parts of the peninsula, but only
occasionally contains camphor crystals.
The camphor is not the same as that
obtained from the camphor laurel OF
Formosa and Japan, which is the
source of the ordinary camphor OF
commerce. 1t is sort very highly
priced by the Chinese in the embalm-
ing of their dead, in incense and in
medicine, and the gum brings a price
much higher than that of the COM
mon camphor.
The Malayans and other Johore
natives believe that each species OF
tree has spirit, or divinity, that pre-
sides over its affairs, says the Youths
/f an pa11
phor tree is known by the name of
Bisan - literally "a woman" Her
resting place is near the trees, and
when, at night, a peculiar noise is
heard in the woods, resembling that Of
a cicada, the Bisan is believed to DO
singing, and camphor will surely be
found in the neighborhood.
But the spirit of the camphor treeA
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 supposition is probable that the
natives think that she is acquainted
with both the Malay and Jakun Ian
guages, and if the camphor hunter
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 a mix
ture of Malay and Jakun words, but
these are curiously altered or reversed !;
and the natives possibly believe that
the divinity of the camphor tree s
completely confused when she hears
this iargon. They speak it when
they are on camphor expeditions.
The Jakuns who hunt the camphor
are one Of the widest people, but in
offensive. They live together with
monkeys, dogs, cats, innumerable
fowls and perhaps tame hornbill,
in perfect harmony, under movable
leaf shelters built on poles in the
woods.
They have formidable weapon in
a sort of blowpipe, not unlike the pipe
through which the American school
boy projects wet paper balls. The
Johore blowpipe is made of very
long-jointed, straight variety of bam-
boo, which is generally carved and
traced with many rude devices.
The proiectiles used in these are
thin splinters Of wood about a foot
long, having plug of pith at the butt
end. The point is as sharp as
needle. and is covered with a black.
resinous substance, which in many
cases is extremely poisonous. Mon
keys and other small animals struck
with one of these darts die from the
effect almost instantly On man and
the larger animals its effect is less
rapid, but quite as deadly. The poi
son is popularity supposed to be OBJ
tanned from the upas tree.