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98
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[APRIL, 1906.
an occasional convenience. (Plate I., fig. 2.) He soon found that a long light craft, having plenty of accommodation along its sides for paddlers, was by far the best form for the navigation of these waters, and, further, this form had the sailing vessel at its mercy nine times out of ten,- a very pleasing feature in the eyes of the Malay at the time when the Straits of Malacca served as the high road for all the sailing tonnage of the Eastern trade. Moreover the lack of freeboard suitable for n.anual propulsion was not a serious danger in a locality, where heavy weather is so little known. Hence it came about that the long canoe" form of craft established itself as the most suitable type, and that not only, as was natural, for the river navigation of the interior, but also for the estuariess and the more open waters of the Straits. Steam and the growth of the British power in the Straits have combined to make impossible the old buccaneering pursuits dear to the heart of the Malay sailor, and he is now constrained to ship as a "fo'c'sle" hand in Penang or Singapore steamers, or to make sailing voyages up and down the coasts as a common-place trader or peaceful fisherman.
The foregoing remarks are not, however, entirely applicable to the east coast of the Peninsuls, where, during the prevalence of the north-east monsoon in the China sen, strong gales with heavy sea and violent rain blow havoc upon the unprotected coast line. At first sight then, we might have expected to find some powerful sea-keeping boats on this coast; but in fact, we find practically the same types as on the sheltered waters of the Malacca Straits. (Plate I., fig. 3.) The explanation is easy. During the prevalence of the on-shore monsoon, the bars at the entrance to the rivers, which form the only ports, are a whirling mass of breaking seas, through which, only during rare lulls in the weather, can any vessel pass with safety. From the shelving beaches thrown up by the monsoon it is, of course, impossible to launch a boat. Hence from October or November to February or later, according to the strength of the weather, the whole coast is shut up, so far as local navigation is concerned. An occasional high-sided Chinese junk will now and then venture along the coast, but communication in most cases becomes easier across the peninsula, and the men of Patani and Singora find it simpler to cross overland to Kedah to reach the west coast, than to attempt to get out across the dangerous bars, and through the heavy sea raging on the eastern coast.
During the open season the weather is not unlike that in the Straits, bringing light ses and land breezes, varied by occasional squalls. Then the Malay fishermen run their long canoes down the beach and put to sea again, and the traders creep out with new mat sails to resume their coagting voyages.
Owing to lack of ports free from shallow bars large displacement is impossible ; and for the fishermen light canoe-like craft are preferred, as they launch easily from the beach, and can be paddled at high speeds to come up with fish. Hence deep-bodied boats, which can beat to windward, are again absent on this coast; and as the centre board and the leeboard is not known, the paddle retains its importance for working to windward. Though hardly coming under the heading of boats it should be remarked that for some trades, involving long voyages and calls at deep water ports, the advantages of big-bodied craft are fully recognised by the Peninsular Malays, and that between Singapore and Siamese ports, for instance, fine Vessels of 200 tons, built on European lines, are frequently to be met with. They are rather nondescript craft, often with overhanging clipper stems and deck-houses galore. The masts are generally very light and crooked-grown spars; the rigging and gear aloft make up in quantity what is lacking in quality. They are generally rigged with two nearly equal-sized masts and a bowsprit on which from one to three jibs are set. The mainsaj] and foresail are either Chinese lugs or on the European fore and aft plan, the gaff being a standing spar controlled by vange, and the sail being set by hauling out along it and being taken in by brails to the mast, topsails being used. The sails are of light material, when they are not, as in the case of regular Chinese or Malay lugs, made of matting; and they seldom set very flat. (Plate I., fig. 4.)
The truo Malay sail, however, is nothing more than an adaptation of the original and primitive square sail, as used alike by the sailors of ancient Egypt, of Rome and of Scandinavis; and
To such an extent in this the cand, that the north-east monsoon is oalled by the Malays, "Musim Tutop Kuala," or the "shut-port (1..., olose) season."
