contain, and then arises and begins to act his part.”^189
A similar ceremony was witnessed in 1897 by Mr. Everard Fielding and the
present writer at the back of the Bungalow at Jugra (in Selangor). The object of
the ceremony was to drive away evil spirits from the spot where the performance
was to take place, and the performers were a little band of players from Penang
who had settled in the neighbourhood and had planted their holdings with
Liberian coffee.
The Pawang or magician in this instance was a Malay named ’Che Hussein, who
acted as clown, and subsequently wrote out at my request rough transcripts of
more than a dozen of the plays acted by his company.
A big mat or mats having been laid upon the ground in a spot carefully selected
for the purpose, four corner posts were planted and a big awning or ceiling-cloth
(langit-langit) stretched between them. The square space between the posts was
then fenced off by carrying a couple of cords round it horizontally from post to
post, one at the height of two, and the other about five feet above the ground.
From these cords were suspended various ornamental objects made of plaited
strips of cocoa-nut leaf, fashioned into rough resemblances of animals, birds,
fruit and flowers, a few bananas being added at intervals, these latter serving as
light refreshments for the players whenever they felt so minded. Stems of banana
trees with their leaves fastened at each post made the structure complete, and the
general effect, enhanced by the bright costumes of the performers, was
extremely picturesque, and, as it was intended to be, extremely rural.^190
A tray with the usual brazier of incense and small bowls of rice variously
prepared was then brought in, and all the instruments, though not necessarily the
players, being in their places, the ceremony commenced as follows:—
FIG. 5.—Tapers used in exorcising evil spirits.First came the Lagu Pĕmanggil, or Invocation, a peculiar air performed on the