The Somerset reporter., 1896-03-19
AT A MALAY PICNIC.
A JOLLY DAY OF SIMPLE PLEASURES
IN THE JUNGLE.

Happy No Tresome Advance Prepara-
tion of Food-How Fish Are Captured
and Cooked For the banquet.
Of all picturesque sights Malay pie
mic is one of the rrettiest. With the first
dawn of morning the start is maae
Nothing as yet can be seen distinctly.
A few saffron arrows Of light are thrown
up in the eastern horizon, and distant
mountain heads begin to glow. Stimuli
taneolsly "a Stir arises IN the village,
and gaping villagers Of all ages begin to
issue out from their graceful atap h0usts
and make toward the place Of rendez-
yous By the time the larry has gather
ed, some 90 minutes. the horizon seems
to explode, "A wide rush Of orange light
spreads near and far. and the great hot
sun comes up, painting. Then follows
the most delicious hour Of the day. A
hundred hues Of green are brought out
into shining relief. every dewy leaf be
comes prism in which rainbows float.
The jungle life awakens iuto its morn
ing psalm, brilliant birds twitter and
eco together seeking tho early bug. gor-
geous butterflies come forth To DRY their
spangled wings on leafy shrubs, while
far III the jungle often the hoarse, gut
tural, fearsome groWl Of the Malayan
tiger sounds bass To the chorus.
The picnickers are naw under way.
Before them is IA march Of six or seven
miles through virgin Jungle and open
spaces of country That Will consume
some two or three hours. Some of the
females are mounted upon elephants
If there are any we'll to do families in
the village. They sit very gracefully ON
their lofty mounts and enjoy the ride,
if we may judge from their faces and
frequent peals of laughter. Most of the
party is afoot. They are in holiday cos
tune. A finely woven sarong of cotton
or silk forms the lower garment of men
and women alike The sarong is many
hued and the most graceful of gar
ments. 1t consists of a piece of material
of suitable length sewed together at the
side, both ends being open. The upper
end, in wearing, is tucked neatly and
tightly together with the hand and
held securely around the waist by a
belt. Sometimes these krosangs, or
belts, are richly jeweled and worth as
much as 1000 silver dollars. But We
shall not see that sort at a picnic. The
upper garment of men and women alike
is cloth or cotton jacket (kabaia). In
stead of buttons the women use for fas-
Jennings a number of gold or silver
brooches The men largely affect brass
buttons. Over this jacket the females
wear another sarong, which is made 10
meet over the head, and serves the
damsel as shade, and when she
pleases as a veil. The feet of all are
protected by kind Of wooden sandal.
All these garments are loose, are poem
for harmony of colors, and there is no
fold that does violence to beauty and
grace. This is poor enough picture of
our picnic party, or 70 or leo Malay
men, women, boys and girls passing,
joking and laughing along their pleas
ure way. The braves carry some spears
and parangs, i'll case tiger or leopard
molest The fair bear along little rice
and curry spice. The bulk Of provisions
they trust Tuhan Allah to provide at the
picnic ground How very nice,
hear tie gentle lady reader say Why,
preparation of meats and pies and c0n-
! fections, you know, is such Il bother.
Our outing party now feel that they
have gone far enough and they may
halt, no matter just where-far every
where Is lovoly-so long as they are in
the vicinity of II mountain and its water
pools. So "A pool Is chosen as one likely
to contain III its black depths SUI
fciency of good, fat fish The men at
onco prepare TO dynamite this pool. or
else throw the fish paralyzing tuba root
into the water. Then 20 men leap into
the pool, while "a number Of women are
stationed at the shallow and lower end
to catch the escaping finny tribe. All,
no big fish are caught They must be
lying dead or benumbed at the bottom
of tho pool. And now the boldest swim
mers dive ia and far down. They search
| the bottom, they oven thrust their hands
into the water filled caves of the rocky
sides. One by one the divers come pant
ing up. Some of them grasp in each
hand great shining, silvery fish. What
luck Two fish at time, each 10 on )
Founders. Then the stolld Malay relaXes.
he shouts, he praises Allah, and the
whole camp becomes Scene of rejoic-
ing, as the spoil is flung alive into the
pot of already boiling water, or squirms
grilling, roasting, frying, on ground
fires kindled by boys and girls as the
prey was being taken. Rice Is also pre-
pared, and before long the whole party is
seated around the green banquet board,
enjoying fish as you like it and curry
and rice such as only the Malay house
wife can concoct. The joysome meal
finished, the party betalles itself to smok
ing, chewing betel and telling stories,
under all of which influences it is not
surprising that tho next scene is gen
eral sicsta, which lasts till about 3
o'clock. when tho old man of the party
wisely observes it is getting late and II
is time To he starting back. Night must
hot oyertahe them, or they may meet
Stripes or Spots out also for Il picnic,
and vanity preferring fresh meat to fish.
New York Independent.
Costly Words.
Il would not care more than cents
if you broke your neck, you drunken