THE CAMPHOR LANGUAGE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 99, 29 April 1895, Page 4

THE CAMPHOR LANGUAGE.

One of tho strangest languages in tho woild, u-ed for the queerest it purposes, is thf! "' camphor luugu ige" of Johore, a country ol tho Malay Peninsula. It l.ns Utcly been studied and reported upon by Mi 1 Like, an Euj»lisu. enginoer iv the service of tho Sultan of Johoio. 'this language is called Iho " Pautswg Sapor, 1 ' or cainjhor language, and is used by tbo natives and ull others who are engaged iv g. theiing tho pioduct of tbo Miluyau camphor tree, aad only at that time. If they used either of iho languages of the region, tbo Mnluy or tho aboriginal Jakun, tbo unlives bilievc that thiy could not obtain any camphor, and for a most carious reason. Tho camphor tree Dryobalunops vamphora, grows abundantly iv certain pints ol the pmiusula, but only occasionally exutuius camphor : crystal?. Tho camphor is not tho s.irno as that obtained from the camphor laurel of J)'ui u:O3iv and J-ipau, which is iho spuico of theoi'iiiiiftiy uuupbor of coinI merer. It" ol a tourco very highly prised by Iho Gbimßti in tho embalming of thti-' dead, i» inemso uud iv medicine, mid iho j.;u"i l > i»n s >»nch moroihau tlio common eumiiljoi-. 'Iho Malayans and other Johoro Mitivcs boliuvo that each species of tree lias a s|-iriti or Uiviuiiy that rrcsides over its affairs, '1 ho S| int of tho (umphor tree is known by tho unmo of Bisan— literally "awomau. 11 Her resting place is ueur the trees; and whon at night n peculiar uoißo id heard in tho wool's, resembling ihal of acicadti, the bisau » believed to bo siugiug, and camphor will tui'ely bo found iv the neighbourhood. Bui tho BpiiiG of the camphor tici.G ecems to bo jealous of tbo precious gum, and must bo propitiated, and it clio knows that liauteis are in quest of it, she will endeavour to turn lueir stops aside. So it is necessary to speak in a tonguo which tho does not understand, ])'or this purpoEo Dho camphot languago has been invented, it ooneißtß of a mixture of Jskun and Malay word?, but theso are curiously altered or reversed j and tho natives possibly believe that the divinity of the oamphor treo ia completely cjufased^ The Jakuns who

hunt the compbor are one of the wildest of people, but inoffensive. They live, together with monkeys, doge, oats, innnmarable fowls, and perhaps a tame hornbill, in perfect harmony, under movable leaf-shelters built on polos iv the woods. — Life among the Jakarta.