Page:Malay Sketches.pdf/91

 people of this class (and it is by far the most common one) are very good humoured and never seem to think of resenting the liberty taken with their infirmity. If by word or deed they commit themselves (and that is not uncommon) they either run away, or appear to be unconscious of having said or done anything unusual (this however is rare), or they simply say, "I am lâtah," as a full explanation and excuse.

If any one present accidentally drops something on the floor, if a lizard falls from the roof on to or near a lâtah person, if the wind blows the shutter of a window to with a bang, a lâtah person of the class. I speak of will probably find it necessary to at least say something not usually heard in polite society. Of this class by far the majority are women.

I have never seen a lâtah boy or girl, but I know they are to be found, though the disease certainly becomes more evident as the subject grows older.

It must be understood that except when under influence, when actually showing the evidences of this strange peculiarity, lâtah people are undistinguishable from others. It is sufficient proof of this that amongst my twenty-five police there should have been two men more completely lâtah than any I have seen before or since.