Page:The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia (IA journalindianar00loga).pdf/378

 I might say, a standard for judging of the place which the Oráng Slétar should hold in the ranks of civilization. The families consisted of two men, three women, and several children of hoth sexes; they were exceedingly shy at first, and could with great difficulty be prevailed on to speak, but by kindness of manner, and some trifling presents, the men were induced to throw off a considerable deal of their reserve,— so much so, that they daily visited the Gunboat, as long as we were in their vicinity, bringing fish and a few birds for barter, and a system of fair dealing being strictly kept up by the commander and his crew, on our leaving they promised always to visit the Gunboat, to supply such necessaries should she ever come in their neighbourhood again, and tell the people of their tribe to do the same. Our visit was productive of considerable benefit to them, as they were well supplied with many necessaries (luxuries to them) such as rice, tobacco and cloth. They took great trouble in procuring us what we were most in want of, fresh fish, and our parting we were led to believe, was attended with considerable regret on their side. On our better acquaintance, when asked why they used always to run away before the Gunboat, their simple reply was, that they were afraid we would carry them off to Gallang, a place noted for the fierceness of its pirátes [sic], and for whom they bear a great dread.

On taking likenesses of two of them, a man and a woman, the man sat with great steadiness and composure, and seemed perfectly aware of its meaning; on finishing the sketch, and being shown the production, a slight smile was elicited:—with the other subject considerable difficulty was encountered, she at first hid her face beneath her shaggy matted locks, that strayed in wild abundance over her sealy shoulders, and would only now and then venture a glance at the operations of the pencil, no persuasions would induce her to show her face, till at last her young child was given her, when in a position natural to the mother, the sketch book was soon made to bear what was considered a tolerable likeness of the original.

This poor tribe are River nomades, their locality extends from the Santee, at the east end of Old Strait or Sálát Támbráu to Pándás on the west. The Slétar, a creck of the Island of Singapore, and dis-