311
The tears of the dugong are believed to be an exceedingly potent love-charm.—Vide
Swettenham, Unaddressed Letters, p. 217.
“Like most nations dwelling near the sea, the Malays have their mermaids, of which the
dugong is the probable origin.—J.I.A., i. 9.”—Quoted by Denys, Dict. Brit. Mal., s.v.
Mermaid. ↑
312
Vide, however, supra. ↑
313
Mr. Wray no doubt refers to the b’rudu (tadpole), the upper half of which is declared by
Selangor Malays to develop into a frog (katak), while the hinder part develops into the ikan
lembat. ↑
314
Sel. Journ. vol. iii. No. 6, p. 93. ↑
315
Vide App. cclxxiv. ↑
316
These were trays of the kind called anchak which are used by the Malays to contain offerings
to the spirits. For fuller details, cp. pp. 414–422, infra. ↑
317
For details of a similar ceremony, vide pp. 416–418, infra. ↑
318
The composition of these brushes varies apparently according to the ceremony which is to be
performed. In this case leaves or sprays of the following plants were used:—
- Sapĕnoh.
- Lĕnjuang merah (the red Dracæna).
- Gandarusa.
- Satawar.
- Sadingin.
- Pulut-pulut (?) or Sĕlaguri (?)
- Mangrove (bakau).
These leaves were tied together with a small creeper called ribu-ribu (a so-called “female”