Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

igi6.J I. H. N. Evans: Sakai of the Korbu River. 77
from the top of their clearing. A large hill, called Gunong
Takai, was in view across the river, being nearer to us than
Gunong Semawak. 1 do not know if this is the same as
Gunong Takor (3,850) ot the maps, but we passed the Takor
River, which is not shown in them, on the second day out from
Tanjong Rambutan. This joins the Kinta close to the mouth
of the Terrain, but on the opposite side.
The settlement at Bukit Daroh proved to be a single house
of the communal type, about forty feet in length, by hfteen
feet in breadth. The height of the lloor from the earth was,
at its maximum (the house was built on sloping ground),
twelve feet. The building was supported on three somewhat
irregular rows of posts, many of which were of but small diameter.
The greatest height ot the house from ground level
was about twenty feet; there thus being only eight feet between
the floor and the roof in the central line of the building ;
and much less at the sid< s owing to the slope of the thatch.
The regular inhabitants comprised four families, of, some
hiteen to twenty individuals 111 all, but they received frequent
visits from other Sakai, who stopped a night or two with them.
Sleeping platforms covered with sheet-bamboo were ranged
along the walls, the interior not being divided off into rooms,
and, between opposite benches, tires were kindled on fireplaces
of dried mud. Of these there were four, the burning logs
being disposed radially on them so that it was only necessary
to push the ends of the logs with the foot in order to replenish
the tire. The sleeping patforms and the hearths took up so
much room that it was necessarj to step over each tire in
passing from end to end of the house. During the day-time
the fires were allowed to die out, or only kept smouldering ;
but, at about six o'clock in the evening, when it began to get
cold (the clearing was situated at a height of about two
thousand feet above sea-level), the logs were pushed together
and the fire made up. At the time of my visit, which extended
over ten days, the Sakai did not seem to be very actively
engaged in agricultural work, though they were, according to
what they told me, preparing a fresh clearing. That from
which the crops— chiefly of tapioca—were then being used was
situated at the top of the hill, on the side of which the house
stood. In the morning some of the women used to go out to
dig tapioca roots, and the) returned late in the day bringing
these, and occasionally some pumpkins. The latter were cut
up and boiled in a large iron cauldron, the resulting broth or
soup being first drunk in cocoanut shells and the pieces of the
fruit then eaten separately. The tapioca roots were usually
roasted in the embers of the fires- One day the Sakai were
fortunate enough to kill a young Sambhur stag in a springspear
trap. The meat was hacked from the body in lumps,
and rammed down into joints of green bamboo, which were
placed in the fire at an angle of about thirty degrees with their
mouths projecting from the fire and supported on a stone.
The deer having been killed near the river, which lay far