MALAY SKETCHES
blood. He will brood over a real or fancied stain
en his honour until he is possessed by the desire
for revenge. If he cannot wreak it on the offender,
he will strike out at the first human being that
comes in his way, male or female, cld or young.
It is this state of blind fury, this vision of blood,
that produces the dmok. The Malay has often been
called treacherous, I question whether he deserves
the reproach more than other men. Heis courteous
and expects courtesy in return, and he understands
only one method of avenging personal insults,
The spirit of the clan is also strong in him. He acknowledges the necessity of carrying out, even blindly, the orders of his hereditary chief, while he will protect his own relatives at all costs and make their quarrel his own.
The giving of gifts by Raja to subject, or subject to ruler, is a custom now falling into desuetnde, but it still prevails on the occasion of the accession of a Raja, the appointment of high officers, a marriage, a circumcision, ear-piercing, or similar ceremony. As with other Eastern people, hospitality is to the Malay a sacred duty fulfilled by high and low, rich and poor alike.
Though the Malay isan Islam by profession, and would suffer crucifixion sooner than deny his faith,
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