in other countries, the
intemperate use of spirits produces a sort of temporary, but often
fatal, and always hazardous derangement. The Malays are remarkable for
ferocity of temper, and are, at the same time, exceedingly liable to
jealousy, and to take offence. It is usually after such occurrences as
excite their bad passions, that they take to opium and are at last
wrought up to the madness of the "amock," which ends their days and
griefs together.--E.]

Among these people there are many absurd practices and opinions which
they derive from their pagan ancestors: They believe that the devil,
whom they call Satan, is the cause of all sickness and adversity, and
for this reason, when they are sick, or in distress, they consecrate
meat, money, and other things to him as a propitiation. If any one among
them is restless, and dreams for two or three nights successively, he
concludes that Satan has taken that method of laying his commands upon
him, which if he neglects to fulfil, he will certainly suffer sickness
or death, though they are not revealed with sufficient perspicuity to
ascertain their meaning: To interpret his dream, therefore, he taxes his
wits to the uttermost, and if, by taking it literally or figuratively,
directly or by contraries, he can put no explanation upon it that
perfectly satisfies him, he has recourse to the cawin, or priest, who
assists him with a comment and illustrations, and perfectly reveals the
mysterious suggestions of the night. It generally appears that the devil
wants victuals or money, which are always allotted him, and being placed
on a little plate of cocoa-nut leaves, are hung upon the branch of a
tree near the river, so that it seems not to be the opinion of these
people, that in prowling the earth "the devil walketh through dry
places." Mr Banks once asked, whether they thought Satan spent the
money, or eat the victuals? he was answered, that as to the money, it
was considered rather as a mulct upon an offender, than a gift to him
who had enjoined it, and that therefore, if it was devoted by the
dreamer, it mattered not into whose hands it came, and they supposed
that it was generally the prize of some stranger who wandered that way;
but as to the meat, they were clearly of opinion that although the devil
did not eat the gross parts, yet, by bringing his mouth near it, he
sucked out all its savour without changing its position, so that
afterwards it was as tasteless as water.[152]