Back in the early eighties,the bottle neck bridge road of Sungei Buloh was noted for a beauty in white free flowing loose clothing, way way in the night waving frantically for some good Samaritan to stop by to offer a lift.Yes exactly that stretch near the Forestry experiment plot of jungle trees.
Of course that stretch had now been over taken by developments but during the period I mentioned that very stretch were thick grasses and wild shrubs on both sides.Not to frighten you that stretch apparently were haunted by a female ghost dressed in white free flowing dress floating along the side of the road without legs touching the ground.
She normally appeared in the deep of the night `when it was about to rain.With strong,cold,cold wind breezing around as you traveled home on motor-cycle or even in a car,Those days air condition were new and many cars were without them.
The cold wind surely sent a chilled into our spine running through it and worst still when around that area and knowing the existing of a female ghost really knock the fear into us.usually at that spot I would accelerate a little to pass that area as fast as I possibly could.
In reality I am not sure of its existence,but rumours had it that many had met that ghost and had experienced giving her a lift only to be frightened by her disappearance further down the road.That really struck fear into the rider,to live and tell those fearful tales around.
Who ever she maybe she definitely did not harm anyone nor she drove fear into them.Now with those developments around I wander where she will drift away.She could not have disappeared unnoticed????.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Ghosts In The Field
While attached to St.Andrew Estate,Batang Berjuntai,Selangor I had men's night outing with a friend from a neighboring plantation.We attended a dinner party with a group of friends from Kuala Lumpur.
That evening all of us had one drink too many and were half drunk.True enough we truly had a jolly good time drinking.I had not drank so much before but that night was an exceptional happy occasion.Initially I did not touch any liqueur but as the night went on with good dishes of food coming out from the kitchen, slowly by and by I began drinking a bit at first then on hell broke lose.
Very unfortunate I was already drunk half way through,my friend too drank but he was alright.One thing when you have a drink too many you tend to lose your balance and continue to down more and pegs of whisky and brandy - worst still - mixed.
The proprietress of the restaurant and friends from adjacent table also joined in the fun with us and everyone went wild.That proprietress joined us in the drinking driving all of us crazy.Finally it was all over by twelve o'clock but we dared not drive home that very moment,so we rested at another restaurant with a cup of warm tea each.
We only began our journey home when I was sober sufficient to drive.So I drove slowly home that night.We had no trouble along the way until we came almost near to town.That stretch of straight road on its left was another friend's plantation (Java Selangor Estate) while the right was a huge drain next to some small holders.
As I drove on my friend who was by my side suddenly shouted frantically at me,"Look,lights floating in the field".I took a glance at the direction he pointed.Sure enough there were lights,the size of a tennis ball floating around.Astonished with fright we looked on straight at them.
We were afraid because these could be ghosts roaming outside as it was already 2.00 a.m. in the morning.We were too scared to stop to investigate so I drove on.Further down the road we noticed a light just ahead of us again near the road but we were no more afraid as they was a figure of a tapper with a head light on.
Well.shame on us,tappers from that plantation had already started tapping rubber so early in the morning and we were still out or just returning home from our outing.
So those lights never were ghosts but lights of tappers tapping rubber.Crazy ain't it so? But it is true my friend in that plantation had induced its tappers to tap so early so as to extract a better yield from their field.Just imagine at that hour of the morning.It really was craaazy.
That evening all of us had one drink too many and were half drunk.True enough we truly had a jolly good time drinking.I had not drank so much before but that night was an exceptional happy occasion.Initially I did not touch any liqueur but as the night went on with good dishes of food coming out from the kitchen, slowly by and by I began drinking a bit at first then on hell broke lose.
Very unfortunate I was already drunk half way through,my friend too drank but he was alright.One thing when you have a drink too many you tend to lose your balance and continue to down more and pegs of whisky and brandy - worst still - mixed.
The proprietress of the restaurant and friends from adjacent table also joined in the fun with us and everyone went wild.That proprietress joined us in the drinking driving all of us crazy.Finally it was all over by twelve o'clock but we dared not drive home that very moment,so we rested at another restaurant with a cup of warm tea each.
We only began our journey home when I was sober sufficient to drive.So I drove slowly home that night.We had no trouble along the way until we came almost near to town.That stretch of straight road on its left was another friend's plantation (Java Selangor Estate) while the right was a huge drain next to some small holders.
As I drove on my friend who was by my side suddenly shouted frantically at me,"Look,lights floating in the field".I took a glance at the direction he pointed.Sure enough there were lights,the size of a tennis ball floating around.Astonished with fright we looked on straight at them.
We were afraid because these could be ghosts roaming outside as it was already 2.00 a.m. in the morning.We were too scared to stop to investigate so I drove on.Further down the road we noticed a light just ahead of us again near the road but we were no more afraid as they was a figure of a tapper with a head light on.
Well.shame on us,tappers from that plantation had already started tapping rubber so early in the morning and we were still out or just returning home from our outing.
So those lights never were ghosts but lights of tappers tapping rubber.Crazy ain't it so? But it is true my friend in that plantation had induced its tappers to tap so early so as to extract a better yield from their field.Just imagine at that hour of the morning.It really was craaazy.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Old Man Behind My Bungalow
Few months after my arrival at that plantation I moved into the Manager's bungalow.It was a huge mansion built by those colonial managers way back .It was a lovely house with huge thick walls with specially selected "chengal" hardwood as all the frame works,doors and windows etc..In deed it was extremely airy with free flowing of fresh air throughout the house the whole day long.
The whole area is about three acres or larger,therefore the huge bungalow is surrounded by a large garden.It was the best bungalow I have lived in throughout my long career in planting.The old planters had planted a number of fruit fruits tree around it,but little flowers.My young wife turned into one of the most outstanding orchid garden in that district.Lovely environment to live in I would say.
Those days the manager's bungalow were never fenced because most white manager felt that even without fencing they were well secured.So well respected were that no one dare even near that bungalow without being sent for.Of course then,those days these people were well armed with rifles and pistols,that ought to frighten all wrong doers intruders away and kept their distance..
As I say that building was quite old in age yet it still very formidably strong and stood in grand stature.While we stayed everything seem alright until one fine morning my maid going to the back of the bungalow saw a white old man walking near there.That put the poor damsel in distress came shouting in fright at my wife.
"Mam mam,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,saya nampak hantu1",she shrieked with fear in her pale face.(She shouted that she had seen a ghost).That surely struck fear into my timid wife.She and the maid went into the bungalow and stayed in a corner until I returned from the fields,beside that there was nothing she could have done because and the maid were the only persons around together with my small daughter.
On my returned I went to that very spot but there was nothing around nor were there any signs of any sort of intruder.After some inquiries around we fitted a small altar under a tree at that spot.That was to honor the "Dato" or Spiritual Guardian of that area.
Every morning joss sticks were lighted for show of respect to it.Believe it or not that did the trick and that white old man never appeared again in board day light to frighten anyone anymore.In a way I think it gave us some protection from other evil forces.
to be continued.
The whole area is about three acres or larger,therefore the huge bungalow is surrounded by a large garden.It was the best bungalow I have lived in throughout my long career in planting.The old planters had planted a number of fruit fruits tree around it,but little flowers.My young wife turned into one of the most outstanding orchid garden in that district.Lovely environment to live in I would say.
Those days the manager's bungalow were never fenced because most white manager felt that even without fencing they were well secured.So well respected were that no one dare even near that bungalow without being sent for.Of course then,those days these people were well armed with rifles and pistols,that ought to frighten all wrong doers intruders away and kept their distance..
As I say that building was quite old in age yet it still very formidably strong and stood in grand stature.While we stayed everything seem alright until one fine morning my maid going to the back of the bungalow saw a white old man walking near there.That put the poor damsel in distress came shouting in fright at my wife.
"Mam mam,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,saya nampak hantu1",she shrieked with fear in her pale face.(She shouted that she had seen a ghost).That surely struck fear into my timid wife.She and the maid went into the bungalow and stayed in a corner until I returned from the fields,beside that there was nothing she could have done because and the maid were the only persons around together with my small daughter.
On my returned I went to that very spot but there was nothing around nor were there any signs of any sort of intruder.After some inquiries around we fitted a small altar under a tree at that spot.That was to honor the "Dato" or Spiritual Guardian of that area.
Every morning joss sticks were lighted for show of respect to it.Believe it or not that did the trick and that white old man never appeared again in board day light to frighten anyone anymore.In a way I think it gave us some protection from other evil forces.
to be continued.
The Old Grave yard Along That Plantation Road.
When I first step into that plantation I had not noticed a cemetery along the plantation's laterite road.It was situated almost near to a small stream which was flowing across the stretch of the field.The actual locality is quite obscure from the road and the bushes around did not make it any better.
During the colonial days I think almost most plantation had their own cemeteries,everything seemingly slightly out of control.But those were the days when the "orang Putih"were masters of the land.
When I first stepped into the plantation I unaware of its existence I drove passed at ease very relaxed.Well,that did not take long for me to sought out that very fact.So thereafter driving passed that place especially in the middle of the night it always gave me an eerie feeling as if some thing spooky was moving around.
Rumours had it that the area was really haunted,many of them young ones.Many had heard cries of babies in the wee,wee hours,it is more horrifying in the middle of the night whenever it rained.Hearing this on the road many would run as fast as hey could for their lives.But no one can confirmed any sightings.
Yet many can claimed they had seen dark figures moving along that stretch of road but when they were near them those dark figurines just vanished into thin air.Some have even claimed something more sinister of a young beautiful Indian woman squatting by the road side which similarly disappeared into the darkness.
Well.as for me I cannot confirm all these for each time I passed by that area in the middle of the night I stepped on my accelerator and sped on, head on as fast as I could out of fear you could say.
To be continue when inspired.
During the colonial days I think almost most plantation had their own cemeteries,everything seemingly slightly out of control.But those were the days when the "orang Putih"were masters of the land.
When I first stepped into the plantation I unaware of its existence I drove passed at ease very relaxed.Well,that did not take long for me to sought out that very fact.So thereafter driving passed that place especially in the middle of the night it always gave me an eerie feeling as if some thing spooky was moving around.
Rumours had it that the area was really haunted,many of them young ones.Many had heard cries of babies in the wee,wee hours,it is more horrifying in the middle of the night whenever it rained.Hearing this on the road many would run as fast as hey could for their lives.But no one can confirmed any sightings.
Yet many can claimed they had seen dark figures moving along that stretch of road but when they were near them those dark figurines just vanished into thin air.Some have even claimed something more sinister of a young beautiful Indian woman squatting by the road side which similarly disappeared into the darkness.
Well.as for me I cannot confirm all these for each time I passed by that area in the middle of the night I stepped on my accelerator and sped on, head on as fast as I could out of fear you could say.
To be continue when inspired.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)