Elephant terms in Perak
J. I. Miller’s brief note documents specific elephant command terms utilized by Gembalas in the District of Kuala Kangsar and upper Perak. The text lists these instructions alongside their Malay equivalents and meanings, suggesting a possible Patani origin for the vocabulary (p. 364).
Summary
Miller compiles a table of commands used by Gembalas to direct elephant behavior, including instructions for movement, positioning, and restraint. The list details specific vocalizations written in Arabic script, such as di for “come here” and trum for “lie down,” providing the Malay translation and functional description for each command (p. 364).
Additional instructions regarding swimming, braking, and physical positioning are included on the following page (p. 365).