MALAY SUPERSTITIONS
certainly that of the person whom there was most reason to suspect, but beyond that I learnt nothing.
Another plan for surprising the secret of a suspected person is to get into the room where that person is sleeping, and after making certain passes to question the slumberer, when he may truthfully answer all the questions put to him. This is a favourite device of the suspicious husband.
Yet another plan is to place in the hand of a pâawang, magician, or medium, a divining-rod formed of three lengths of rattan tied together at one end, and when he gets close to the person "wanted," or to the place where anything stolen is concealed, the rod vibrates in a remarkable manner.
A great many Malays and one or two Europeans may be found who profess to have seen water drawn from a kris. The modus operandi is simple, "pâwang" (I dare not call him conjurer) works with bare arms to show there is no deception. He takes the kris (yours, if you prefer it) from its wooden handle, and, holding the steel point downwards in his left hand, he recites a short incantation to the effect that he knows all about iron and where it comes from, and that it must obey his orders. He then with the thumb and first two fingers of his right hand proceeds to gently squeeze the steel,
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