Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/192

 jungle, on occasions of rejoicing, and at such times. thrust behind them all memory of the more or less decorous mating of man with the maid of his choice. and of the bars of close consanguinity which ex- perience was teaching them to rear up between mem- bers of the opposite sexes. Be that how it may, the same ceremony is performed, to the immense scandal of the Malays, in every camp scattered throughout the broad Sakai country, and the same ancient chant is sung during the long, still night which follows the garnering of the rice crop. The Malays call this cus- tom ber-jermun-which more or less literally means "to pig it" because they trace a not altogether fanci- ful resemblance between the huts stuffed with jungle, in which these orgies are held, and the jermun, or nestlike shelters which wild boars construct for their protection and comfort.

But though the Malays, very properly, despise the Sakai, and reprobate all their heathenish ways and works, upon the occasion of which I write. Sentul- a man of the former race-was not only present, but was debasing himself to the extent of taking an active part in the demon worship and the unclean ceremonies of the infidels.

He was a Malay of the Malaysa Muhammadan who, in his saner moments, hated all who prayed to devils (other than those enshrined in the traditions of his own people) or who bowed down to stocks and stones. But for the time being, he was mad. He Irad come upstream, a few weeks earlier, to trade with the forest-dwellers, and when his companions had