In 1890 Mr. Lister communicated a further paper to the Society, enlarging on the subject, shewing how the Sakais were merged in the Bidwandas, and how the constitution was established on Menangkabau lines.
My purpose in the present instance is to try and trace through the Folk-lore of the country, the why and wherefore of certain customs, which, alwaya stronger than written laws, have made the country what it is, a very favurite resting place for Malays, because of the conservation of such customs; in doing this, I shall endeavour to explain, as far as I am able, a few old fashioned sayings, which are even now less quoted than they used to be a few years ago.
Tengku Sayid Abdollah bin Sayid Saban, the Assistant Magistrate of Tampin, has greatly assisted me in the work, by explaining what seemed to me obscure in some of the sayings; the words and diction used being in many instances more or less obsolete, and also likely to bear a double meaning.
I have romanised each saying and made a very free translation in the latter, so far as I know how, giving what the native Malay understands to be meant; this seemed preferable to a more literal rendering as that would not so easily convey the meaning.
The sayings are more or less arranged in progressive sequence, as they seemed to suit the case as it occurred in the Negri Sembilan; first inhabited by Sakais, then gradually colonized by Malays, who, as they increased, amalgamated their own cus- tome with those of the Aborigines, and ultimately brought their Settlement to the dignity of a State, with a Raja chief, whose principal duty was to administer the Mohammadan laws, but with due regard to the Ancient Customs, many of which are very opposite to what is understood by the Law of the Prophet
I have used the collective name Sakai here, as the Malays commonly do, to express all the different sections of the Aboriginal tribes, whether true Sakais, Jakuns, Mantras, Semangs or any others.
The State of Rembow is particularly interesting at the present time, being in a transitory stage as to customary laws. The people are of course professed Mohammadans, but they are at the same time ashamed to abandon the old fashioned customs of the "Ada Perpatih." The incongruity of this was pointed
