take place. Then Tan Saban died, and was buried with all the honours due to a
Malay chief.”^199
The national and favourite weapon of the Malays is the k’ris,^200 a short dagger
usually with an undulating or wavy blade set in a handle of peculiarly carved
pattern, as to the probable origin of which some allusion has already been
made,^201 and furnished with a sheath which is generally of wood and quite
plain, but sometimes of metal chased, hammered, and set with gems in the most
elaborate and lavish style. The blade is quite different in appearance from the
steel or iron blades to which we are accustomed, being prepared in a peculiar
way by a process of “damasking” which produces a variety of designs on the
roughened surface. To the shape of these designs much importance is attached,
as will appear from the following passage extracted from Newbold’s British
Settlements in the Straits of Malacca:—
“Translation of Malayan MS. on Krises and Process of Damasking
“FASL I.—ON THE PAMUR, OR DAMASKING OF KRISES
“If the damasking of a kris only reach within a finger’s breadth of the point, and
if it reach the edge, it is inauspicious for combat. Should the damask not be even
with the point, a stab made with such a kris would err; but if even, then the kris
will never deviate, although its possessor lose strength to thrust; still, by the
grace of God, it will hit the mark should he cast it at his adversary. If it be
damasked on both sides, it is good; but not so should the damask be separated at
intervals.
“If the damask on the point be that of Alif besar (a damask running in the shape
of the Arabian letter Alif), the kris is good for combat; but it is not lucky to wear
such a weapon while trading, nor one in which the damask runs from the
pangkal (the stem which runs into the handle), to the tali.
“If it possess the Alif damask near the handle, the middle, and point, it is very
auspicious for commercial transactions; men cannot resist the force of the
possessor’s arguments; should it be worn whilst planting, the crop will be
fruitful. The possessor will be irresistible in fight, nor can any person thwart his
wishes.