The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-01
ar A MALAY PICNIC.
NV DAY OF SIMPLE PLEASURES
IN THE JUNGLE.

cooked For the banquos
q, .,l picturesque sights a Malay pic
:. e one of the prettiest. With the hrst
NV : ~ morning the start is made.
aaa as vet can be seen distinctly.
sa,r saffron arrows of light are thrown
?. IN the eastern horizon, and distant
W nto;n heads begin to glow. Stimuli
aons,v a stir arises in the village,
Gaming villagers of all ages begin to
;asue ont from their graceful atap houses
i nnS make toward the place OF rendez-
a nus Bv the time the party has gather
so,ue 90 minutes, the horizon seems
w. a wide rush of orange light
.oads near and far, and the great hot
.pn comes up, painting. Then follows
49,. H. most delicious hour of the day. A
hundred hues of green are brought out
INTO shining relief, every dewy leaf be-
nomes prism in which rainbows float
Tho iunole life awakens iuto its morn
mo nsalm. brilliant birds twitter and
ooo together seeking the early bug. gor-
Uoors butterflies come forth to dry their
snanoled wings on leafy shrubs, while
Gov in the Jungle often the boarse, gut
tural. fearsome growl OF the Malayan
TIGER sounds bass to the chorus.
The picnickers are now under way.
pofora them is a march of six or seven
miles through virgin jungle and open
snaces 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.
II 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
bued and the most graceful of gar
ments. 1t consists of 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 q 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 to
meet over the head, and serves the
damsel as a shade, and when she
pleases as veil. The feet Of all are
protected by a kind Of wooden sandal.
All these garments are loose, are poem
for harmony of colors, and there is nc
fold that does violence to beauty and
grace This is poor enough picture OF
our picnic party, or 20 or 100 Malay
men, women, boys and girls passing,
joking and laughing along their pleas
ure way. The braves carry some spears
and parangs, in case tiger or leopard
modest. The fair bear along little rice
and curry spice. The bulk of provisions
they trust Tuhan Allah to provide at thu
picnic ground "How very nice,
hear the gentle lady reader say. "Why
preparation of meats and pies and con
fections, you know, is such n bother"
Our onting party now foel that the.
have gone far enough and they ma.
halt, no matter just where--for every
where is lovely--so long as they are IL
the vicinity of a mountain and its waite
pools. So pool is chosen as one. likel.
to contain in it's black depths suf
ficiency of good, fat fish. The men a
once prepare to dynamite this pool, o
else throw the fish paralyzing tuba roo
into the water. Then 20 men leap int
the pool, while number of women ar
stationed at the shallow and lower en-
to catch the escaping finny tribe. All
no big fish are caught They must b
lying dead or benumbed at the bottom
of the pool. And now the boldest swim
mers dive in and far down. They searcl
the bottom, they even thrust their hand
into the water filed caves of the rock
sides. One by one the divers come pant
ing up. Some of them grasp in eac
hand great. shining, silvery fish. VIVA
luck! Two fish at q time. each 10 or
Founders Then the stolid Malay relaxes
he shouts, he praises Allah, and tn
whole camp becomes q scene of rejoic
ing, as the spoil is flung alive into tn
pot of already boiling water. or squirm
grilling. roasting, frying. on groun
fires kindled by boys and girls as To
prey was being taken. Rice Is also pre-
pared. and before long the whole party
seated aronnd the green banquet board
enjoying fish as you like it and curr
and rice such as only the Malay house
wife can concoct. The joysome inca
finished, the party betakes itself to smok
Ing, chewing betel and telling stories
under all of which influences it is nc
surprising that the next scene is ger
eral siesta, which lasts till about
o'clock, when the old man of the part
wisely observes it is getting late and
Is time to be starting back. Night mus
not overtake them, or they may NEE
Stripes or Spots. out also for picnic
and vastly preferring fresh meat to fisf
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