aroundworldortra00peebiala-1

190 ABOUND THE WORLD.
an extent of nearly three miles in length. The Great Pyramid
of Egypt sinks into insignificance," says Mr. Wallace,
" when compared with this sculptured hill-temple in the interior
of Java." There are other temple'd ruins and inscriptions,
remember, in Malay-peopled countries and islands,
long antedating this.
Who were the projectors? — who the
constructors ? Ask the Malays : echo ! Appeal to history :
it is silent as the chambers of death.
THE RELIGION OF THE MALAYS.
In the thirteenth century, Mohammedan missionaries
converted
the Malays in the Straits of Malacca to Islamism,
using persuasion instead of the sword. Their original religion,
however, was entirely different. John Cameron, F.R.
G.S., assures us that " such Malays as have embraced none
of the more modern religions believe in some divine personality,
corresponding to God ; and a future life, where good
men enjoy ecstatic bliss, and the wicked suffer purgatorial
punishments." But " their religion," he adds, " is strangely
mixed up with demonology. They believe that every person
is attended by a good and a bad angel ; the latter leading
to
sickness, danger, and sin, while the good angel seeks the
individual's health and happiness."
In their " lives, they are
influenced more by fear than hope." They propitiate the
wicked angel and the evil spirits. It is only at death that
they ask the especial care of their good angel. They stand
in no fear of the transition. Some of their ruins indicate a
relationship theologically to the sun and serpent worshipers.
MALAY HOSPITALITY. — THE "ORANG-UTAN."
" The higher classes of Malays," writes Mr. Wallace, " are
exceedingly polite, and have all the quiet ease of the bestbred
Europeans." To this I will add, they are very kind,
warm-hearted, and hospitable.
Calling at a Malacca-Malay's
palm-thatched dwelling, we were at once treated to tea,
fruit, cocoanut-milk, and durians. This latter &uit is quite