JOTTINGS MADE DURING A TOUR AMONGST THE lAUD DTAKS OE UPPER SARAWAK, BORNEO, DURING THE YEAR, 1874. BY KOEi. DENISON, FOEMERLY OF TEE SARAWAK GOVEENIVIEKT SERVICE. SINGAPORE : PEINTED AT THE "MISSION PEESB." 1879. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ITHACA, N.Y. 14853 John M. Echols Collection on Southeast Asia KROCH LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 078 409 681 TO ARTHUR CHICHESTER CR00K8HANK, ESQ., (late Resident of Sarawak.) WHO ENTEEBD THE SAKAWAK GOVERNMENT SEEVICE' IN 1843, UNDER HIS RELATIVE RAJAH SIR JAMES BROOKE, K. C. B., AND RETIRED EROM IT IN 1873, HAVING HELD. THE APPOINTMENT OF RESIDENT OF SARAWAK FROM 1863 TO 1873, AND THRICE ADMINISTERED THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY DURING THE ABSENCE OF HIS HIGHNESS THE RAJAH, THESE JOTTINGS AMONGST THE LAND DYAKS OF SARAWAK ARE DEDICATED IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE BY THE AUTHOR. 4- ,36-7 0)93 ^^U- INTRODUCTION. From 1870 to 1872, I held the appointment under the Rnja of Sarawal^ of Magis- trate and Assistant Resident of Upper Sarawak, and in an ex- official capacity bad many opportunities of meeting and associating with' members of some of the different tribes of Land Dyaka or Djak Darrat, principally witlv those of Gunong Serambo and others set- tled on the western branch of tlie Sarawak river. The nature of my duties in a mining district, -at this time actively worked by the Borneo Company, prevented my visiting (except in a few hurried instances) these Dyaks in their village homes, until 1871, when I ascended the southern branch of the Sarawak riverj to its head waters at Pangkalan Ampat From thence I proceeded to Sennah, visiting the Dyaks of the same name, and after -ascending and descending Gunongs Sodos, Si Munti and Menyerri, I found myself at the head waters of the Sadong river. I'uiing this portion of my trip, I followed the trace laid down by "Wallace the natu- ralist and traveller; I was too new to the country and its inhabitants to form any proper or trustworth}'. conclusions as to what I saw and passed through, but it is my intention to embody my notes, rough and mengre as they are, in the course of this narrative. In many places they describe a line of country whicii has been gone over but by two Europeans be- sides myself— Wallace in 1855, and Mr. Hay, a Government ofHcer, in 1860, while in others again 1 have been but the only European. At the head waters of the Sadong river, ImadetheDyak village of Senankan Tumma my quarters for the night, and the next morning visited Sigow where Malays and Chinese ivere actively engaged in gold working. Retracing my steps 1 came to 6i Jijac, whence taking prow I descended the Sadong to Tumma Sungan, a village of the Tumma Dyaks, where I spent the night The next morning, continuing my descent of the Sadong river in a small prau, Ave entered the Sungan stream. After poling up this till the shallowness of the water prevent- ed further progress, we struck across country, and after ascending and descending the Si Peddang mountain, halted for a mid-da}-- meal at the picturesque Dyak village of Tari- ting, at the foot of the Si Peddang. After ascending Gunong Bombaru we maSe a short halt on the summit, at the village of the same name, and descending this mountain we made our way past the foot of Gunong Siboo to Sennah, which we reached at 5 p. m., and immediately taking boat, poled our way back to Pangkalan Ampat ; the next day I descended the Sarawak river to my station at Paku. This trip being hurriedly made, and fatiguing in character, prevented my throwing myself amongst the people as I should have wished. It awoke in me, however, a longing desire to see and know more of a country which abounde^d in magnificent scenery, and whose inhabitants, poor, neglected and ignorant as they were, had in their characters and habits much to interest me. It was not until 1874 that an opportunity presented itself of making a lengthened, stay amongst these people ; in the interval I had done all I could to collect information from Dutch as well as English sources, regarding the Land Dyak tribes in Sarawak territo- ry, and as I finally succeeded in visiting the whole of the tribes on the southern and western branches of the Sarawak river, some of the tribes on the Sekyam river in Datqh territory, as well as those lying between the Sarawak and Samarahan streams, and those on the Samarjihan, 1 hope with all its faults due to my inexperience and ignorance of the Land Dyak language, this narrative may contain some matter of interest to those who look on the Land Dyaks as something better than mere beasts of burden, or created only for purposes of revenue, or to be bullied and swindled by idle, loafing, useless Malays, as is even now too often the case. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924078409681 I must crave the reader's indulgence for what I am about to lay before iiim, I have- had no opportunities iq an oEficial capacity of collecting information; my narrative, as I but too well know, will be found to abound in misstajgments and perhaps inaccur^jicies. But if 1 have smoothed the way, and laid the foundation for other and better informed follow- ers, my task will be done, and the time, trouble, and fatiijue which has been brouglit to bear on collecting and compiling this narrative will be fully repaid. Such information as [ possess of the Land Dyaks is due to no Government aid, nor has the Government extended its iiand to me pecuniarily or otherwise during a long and wearying march extending over 49 days through a mountainous and wooded country, where tlie paths were but Dyak tracks, over hill and through ravinef over batangs (trunks and stems of trees and saplings placed lougitudimilly as a path) and^precipices, and often for hours together but the simple river bed, or the slippery stones in the course of some mountain torrent. During two thirds of my journey I was accompanied by only two Malays, and with these I pushed my way from village to village ; to the help and assistance of these Malays I owe much, and I can never forget how these men stood by me in moments of difBculty, trouble and fatigue. On almost every occasion I found the Dyaks willing and anxious to further my views by every means in their power, though procrastination and dilatoriness were their besetting sins. Their hospitality was not great, and owing to the absence sometimes of the Oraug Kayas and headmen at their farms, provisions ran short, but as I had come in their midst without notice and unsolicited, this is hardly to be wondered at. The Raja's Government was everywhere looked up to and' respected, and the name of Sir James Brooke (The Raja I'ua) is still recollected and his memory cherished and revered in many a lone Dyak hamlet perched on the summit of a rugged mountain or buried ia the depths of some sea of jungle such as is j)erhaps only to be found in Borneo. Beyond what has been written by Sir James Brooke, St. John, and Low, little has been published regarding these Dyaks. I shall therefore, in the hope that it may prove interesting, draw up a short sketch describing their position in the island of Borneo and in the Sarawak territory, their number under Sarawak rule, together with some of the peculiarities which distinguish them from the Sea Dyaks and other wild tribes. Without wishing to enter into any controversy as to the origin of these or any other tribes which are to be met with on this island, I shall confine myself strictly to the Land Dyaks, premising only that all my readers will agree with me that the Land Dyaks are distinct from other tribes- in language, and in many of their habits, customs, religions observances and rites, while their history and traditions point to other sources of origin differing from those of the Sea Dyaks and other races in Sarawak territory. In the short experience I have had of the Land Dyaks, I have found them with one or two exceptions truthful in the extreme, generally honest and straightforward in their dealings, though they can be cunning enough when it suits their purpose: they are reserved in their manners, and far from communicative to those with whom they are unacquainted,, but having gained their confidence and opened their hearts with a little arrack they be- come talkative and free in their conversation. I do not consider them generous; all and everything I received from these people on my trip was paid for either in money, beads, tobacco, brnsswire, &c., and on many occasions I was considerably a loser in my dealings. The woi'st feature connected with the Dyak character- is* their temper ; they are sulky, obstinate and sullen when put out or corrected, and they are exceedingly apathetic, uor does there appear any inclination on their part to rise above their low and degraded condition; all ambition or desire to elevate themselves or their children appeairs to have been trampled out of them by the years of tyranny and oppression which they have had to undergo at the hands of the iMalays, and the only chance of improving this race is in caring for the children — the old men in my opinion are long past anything approaching to improvement. When we consider what these Land Dyaks have suffered at the hands of the Malays- and Sea Dyaks, instances of which I shall state in the course of this narrative, we shall find little to surprise us in their present degraded condition, and in the want of energy ■which distingniahea them in so marked a degree. It is not my intention, at this early stage of my narration, to eater into the question of the condition of the Land Dyaka, nor to explain what steps, in my opinion, should be taken to remedy the present evils; suffice it to say tliat the whole "Western branch of the Sarawak from Serambo to Tringus is under a Malay residing at Jagui, while the South- ern branch, to the head waters of the Samarahan, is under his nephew, who resides at Pangkalan Ampat, while the Samarahan Dyaks have also a Malay in their midst. Kuching, January, 1875. N. DENI80N. JOTTINGS DURING A TRIP AMONGST THE LAND DYAKS OF BORNEO. Chapter I. Geographical Position of the Laud Dj-aks on tlie Island of Borneo.— Locality of the Land Dyaks iu the Sara-wak Territorj"^ — Number of the Land Dyak Population — Revenue paid by the Land Dyaks — Origin of the Land Dyaks,. Legends concerning the same — Traces of Hinduism among the Land Dyaks. ^ — ' . . The first account we have of the localitv of the Land Dyalcs, is of the°LanIf'^Uv'rk3''ou ^^'°°^ ^"^""^ pen of Sir James Brooke. " The locality" he says, ''of. the the Islaud of Borneo. " Land Dyaks may be marked as follows : — The Pontianak River, "from its mouth, is traced into the interior towards the northward " and westward, until it approaches at the furthest within 100 miles of the north-west ■"coast; a Hue drawn in Latitude 3° N. till it intersects the course of the Pontianak "*' river will point out the limit of the country inhabited by the D3'ak Darrat. Within this "inconsiderable portion of the island, which includes Sambas, Landak, Pontianak, San- -" gouw, Sarawak, &c., are numerous tribes, all of which agree iu their leading customs, and " make use of nearly the same dialect."* The 3° N. Latitude must be a misprint, as. thia would embrace the whole Sarawak territory as far north as Muka, where Sir James must have known no Land Dyak tribes were to ha^e been met with. 2° North is probably meant, and this would confine their limit to latitude of Cape Datu, to the northward of Avhich are no Land Dyak settlements. Following the results of my own enquiry and the accounts given bj' Dutch writers, I would place the locality of the Land iJyaks between the mouth of the Pontianak river .and 2° N. Latitude, and a line meeting these drawn from Longitude 111, would be the furthest eastward limit. This would embrace the whole of the Land Dj'aks under Sara- wak rule, and those of Samba.s, Mampawa, Landak, Tajang, Meliouw, and Sangouw in the Netherlands-Indian territorj'. All these Dyaks may be said to speak the same language ; each tribe has, perhaps, it-5 -own peculiarities of words, idiom and pronunciation, aud in some districts provincialisms may abound, "but still the dialect of all these tribes is radically the same. 1 am borne out in the above opinion by the Dutch ti:aveller Van Kessel, •who, in his attempted classifica- tion of the Dyaks in the north-western division of Borneo, arrives at very much the same conclusion as myself.f Locality of the Land The Land Dyaks in Sarawak territory are found at Lundu, on Dyaks in Sarawak Ter- both the western and southern branches of the Sarawak river, in the "'°'"y- country between the Sarawak and Samarahan rivers, on the upper watei's of the Samarahan, and also the Sadong river and its tributaries. Beyond a casual visit I know nothing of the Land Dyaks in the Lundu Residency. I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Nelson, the Resident, for the following infortjiatioa regarding these people; Four tribes of Land Dyaks are settled in Lundu, the Lundu^ot 9 families, the Selaccos with 91, the Laras with 61, and the Smvs of 28. J'-w-^^AS" The Lundu tribe was once large and powerful, but are now reduced to a mere fraction of their former number; the ravages of small po.^ in 18^ almost exterminated them, and their determined refusal to intermarry with other tribe.s is fast destroying the remnant. The Peninjauh Dyaks on the Serarabo mountain assure me that the Lundus arc an ofT-shoot from their tribe, who years ago left Serambo and settled at Lundu. The Selaccos belong to a tribe settled in the Netherland.s-Iudian territorj', who have crossed the frontier to avoid the tyrannical exactions of the Sultan of Sambas. The head- quarters of this tribe appears to be in the neighbourhood of Gunong Raja; the Krokong • The E.xpedition to Borneo of H. M. S. " Dido." vol. 2, page 200. f Van Kessel quoted by Veth, Borneo's "Wester Af deling, Vol. 1, page 165. Dyaks assert that in former times tlie Selnccos had their settlement at Gunong Kapar^,^. near Bedi, on the Western branch of the Sarawak. Mr. O. St. John, who visited the Selaccoa, tells me they are remarkable for speaking the purest and moat gramnaatical Malay, . , using affixes and prefixes as if they had been brought up in a Malayan Grammar School, if such a thing exists. The women, I am told, have adopted the Malay dress. The Laras are also from Sambas, the Lara district lying to the east^ward of Montrado as far as the upper branches of the Sambas River. .$'ft,w^«The StHvs have settled, I believe, at the head waters of the Luadu stream; they consist of a few families who have migrated from the Snighi Dyaks on the Sarawak river, and have been but a year or two in Lundu. ^>-of^ do 117 do ... ..'. ... 468. Bukar do 197 do ... ... ... 788. Making a total on the Samarahan river of ... ... ... 1,544 In estimating, therefore, the number of Land Dyaks under Sarawak rule, we may calcu- late on an agregate of 16,186. In the Sadong Residency ... ... ... ... 6,000 In the Lundu Residency ... ... .. ... 756 On the western branch of the Sarawak river ... ... ... 4,352 On the southern branch of the Sarawak river ... ... 3,534 On the head waters of the Samarahan river ... ... ... 1,544 16,186 These figures cannot be considered as exact or accurate, but we may safely say that they are correct enough to represent a fair estimate of the Land Dj'ak population, sufficient for all practical purposes. In my description of the. villages visited I shall mention the number of families paying revenue or exemption tax; thesefigures will not tally perhaps with those of the census returns, but this is to be accounted for by the difficulty of obtaining- perfect returns, and also by' the difference of dates, the census having been "taken in 1871 while the revenue returns are for 1873. The revenue paid by the Land Dyak.s and called the exemption tax Lanli'Dyaks. ^ ' "^ ^^ ^ passus of rice or $3 per annum per family or kuig as it is called ; ^a^i^A^ by-this is meant a married couple, the bachelors or bujangs, the back- bone of the tribe, are free from any claim on the part of the Government. Many Dyaks evade paying revenue by marrying, and when the tax becomes due putting away the wife, and thus claim immunity of payment on the grounds of being bachelors. This divorcing of their wives is a very trivial matter amongst the Dyaks — an unlucky omeu, a bad dream on the part of the husband or wife, or even of their parents is a sufficient excuse, and in this way the Government is defrauded of a good deal of fair and lawful revenue. When Sir James Brooke first came into the country, the tax was but one passu of rice or 1 rupee (1/8); it was afterwards raised to 1^ passus of rice or $1 (4/2), it was again raised to 3 passus of rice or |2, which is still the rate at Sadoug ; — in 1872 it was raised to its present figure. Such tribes as possess caves in which edible bird's nesLs are found, divide the nesta with Government. These nests are taken three times in a year — 1st Buang burok, clean- ing out the caves ; in this take the nests are few and of indiflferent quality ; they are the perquisite of the tribe; 2nd Bunga jagong, which goes entirely to Government ; 3rd Peniuda, this is the property of the tribe, and is, as is also the first take, divided amongst those' who have worked in the cave to proc.ire the nests, and is n"ot the property of the tribe as a tribe. When the paddy is ripe (branyi) the Dyaks bring in a small present to Government,. Bunga taun, generally a fowl or two, a passu of rice, and a passu of rice * pulut, a few eggs and some fruit ; these are exchanged for a little arrack and tobacco. It was an old custom with the Dyaks of the western branch of the Sarawak river dating from time immemorial, for Government to give them nothing for two years, these were called taun manang, doctoring years. On the 3rd year Government gave a little gold dust, and 2 fathoms of white cotton cloth to each of the Orang Kayas and Pengaras ; this • Bice pulut — a peculiar kind of rice, boiled in pieces of young bamboo. was called the "adat parsaliu;'' on the 4th year Government o;ave one or two jars " tam- payang pumbisa or pabisa," worth about 30 cents each, to the Orang Kayas and Pengaras, and when the revenue was collected, some white cotton cloth was distributed amongst the head people of the tribes. On the southern branch the custom was different; the 1st year Government gave nothing, being taun mauang — the 2nd year, parsalin, a baju and a head handkerchief to the Orang Kayas and Pengaras ; 3rd Pambisa a few gongs or chanangs were giveu, but no gold dust. These customs have fallen into abeyance, why or wherefore it is difficult to say; they entailed little expense, and sliowed the Dyaks that the Government took some interest in them. 1 was repeatedly asked by the Orang Kayas and headmen why Government had abolished the custom. Origin of tiie Land Dyakn. ^^ entering On the question of the oi'igin of the Land Dyaks, and Legeiuis cuncerniug the whether they are or are not the aborigines of the districts which they ^*""'" inhabit, I wish particularly to avoid any approach to an ethnological controversy, which is entirely foreign to my purpose. It was my intention wlien visiting the Land Dyaks to push my way to a large tribe ^/t called the Si^ongs, whose village is on Gunong Sinjang on the right bank of the Sekyam in in Netherlands-Indian territory, though, as I shall explain in my account of this people, they as well as many other tribes in the interior, were once counted as under Sarawak. , 4 The Sic'ongs had never been visited by any European connected with Sarawak; strange stories, were told me regarding them by the Malays. I was assured my life was not safe amongst them, that the village was on an almost inaccessible mountain, that the people used poison to a great extent, and that as these Dyalcs refused to pay revenue to the Dutch, who from the natural difficulties of the country were unable to compel them, my visit would probably be paid to a set of i-eckless savages without a shadow of law or government. As I proceeded from village to village and discussed matters with the headmen and others of the different tribes, I was sur|>ri«ed to learn when I mentioned my intention of /'^visiting Si/^ong that the whole of the Land Dyaks under Sarawak rule claim to have come ' 4 originally from S^ong, principally under two leaders Trau and atamod, and all the head men with one or two exceptions expressed a strong wish to accompany me to what they considered the land of their origin. This circumstance seems to have escaped the notice of all the writers on SaraAvak, and it was not until the completion of my tour and return- to Kuching that I found that Groll the Dutch traveller * had learnt the following legend as to the origin of the /( Syibngs themselves. "A crowd of seafarers, from whence coming is not mentioned, drifted in a large "prou, over an extensive water, and struck at last on the mountain Sinjang" (called also "by the Dutch authors Bajang, Krimbang, and Baretjek^ though this must be wrong.) "After some time they discovered that the vicinity of the prew was dry and the water " gradually subsided. On this they left the prow but must quickly have perished from the " want of the means of existence had not a large grain of paddy fallen dowa near them^ "out of heaven, of which they were careful enough to eat only the half; the other half " was reduced into small pieces and planted. The grains they reaped were naturally only " as large as the pieces planted. In the meantime more and more land gradually came " to the surface, and the people always went onward with half of their harvest in hand " to consume, and the other half entrusted to th>i^^bosora of the earth to procure from it " new food. They multiplied and spread as the nature of the country permitted, over " Landak, Sangguw, &c., and the more outlying portions of the island. Groll introduces this story by calling attention to the numerous traditions current amongst the Dyaks that in former times nearly the whole country except the summits of the highest mountains were under water and rose up above the sea level as separate islands, the Banjermassin Dyalcs maintaining that for many years Borneo was but a small island and what is now land was covered by the sea and the summits of the Parawaren and Bundang mountains were alone visible. Quoted ij Vetb, Vol. 1, Paga 176. request bestowed ou liim wisdom, and it was said that his offspring should rule over many lands as princes, which they did, for his sons were chiefs of small colonies. Tradi- tion says this prince possessed no fixed residence, and that he could so contract himself as to be able to pass the night in the flower of the Tunjung shrub, meaning I take it that he was continually travelling and not particular as to his lodging. Under him Succadana flourished in trade and navigation ; he died at a ripe old age, being buried on Biikit Laut. Panembalian Pundong Prasap or Tuntang Asap succeeded his father as 4th prince. The burning of large forests for open clearings is ascribed to him, and he collected the scattered population and was skilful in acquiring their esteem and affection. His son, Panembalian Bandala, enlarged Succadana, watching also over the welfare of Kota Lama. Under his prosperous and on the whole peaceful reign Banjermassin and Bruni were visited by vessels from Succadana, though he waged a war against the Kari- mata islands, the ruler of which had ravished his bride, a daughter of a Dyak chief named Sambar, who must^ have given his name to the Southwest promontory of Borneo. The subjection of the Karimata islands may probably have ijeen the result of this war, as we shall soon find them ruled by a governor from Succadana. Bandala on his death was buried at Bukit Laut. As Bandala's son was in his minority, the late prince was succeeded by his brother Paugeran Anom, meaning in Javanese "young," who as he was called after his death Marhum Ratu (late king), must be counted a sovereign prince. He is therefore the same who is elsewhere called Panembalian Succadana; still there is a discrepancy, as he is occasionally spoken of as the son and not the brother of Bandala. Pangeran Anom ruled prosperously, however, enjoying great military fame, his greatest feat being undoubtedly his war with Sintang. The chief of Sintang one Putan was the last male child of an old Dyak family, and his only daughter had been promised in marriage to Anom provided he sent within two months, according to custom, a bridal present of a gohl nosegay of the value of two bun- kals. Anom travelled to Sintang to fetch his bride, furnished with a heavy golden nose- gay having a large diamond in tlie centre, but her faithless father had in the meantime married her to another prince. Pangeran Anom then declared war against Sintang, and collecting his prows issued from the Karbouw river and ascended the Mendouw to the interior. Passing Sangouw he called on the princes of Sekadouw, Sepouw and Blitang to make common cause with him unless they wished to consider themselves his enemies. All these small states, whose names have hitherto not appeared in history, must be reckoned as colonies of Succadana, the historical accounts adding that till now Sangoinv had no other princes than Dyak chiefs, though this is difficult to reconcile with what; has been said above regarding the origin of the Sangouw royal family. On Anom arriving before Sintang a fierce engagement took place. Patau was soon put to flight, but one of the principal chief^i named Malunak, who conducted the defence of the left bank, where the town formerly stood and where the graves of the chiefs are still to be seen, offered a stout resistance and only j'ielded at last under the threat, that, if he did not immediately throw down his arms, Sintang should he levelled to the ground. Pangeran Anom made a moderate use of his victory, reinstating Putan in the govern- ment. .. Panembalian Ayer Mala was the next prince ; he, though long of age, had delegated the functions of government to Anom till the period of his decease. Ayer Mala protected trade and commerce, felled jungles, laid out ground for agriculture and built vessels. The excavation of tin was carried on in his reign ; the metal is found to this day in the vicinity of the Katuntong river, whose bed contains tin and irou ore. Panembahan Ayer Mala was culled thus after a place above Succadana, where he is also buried. Ayer Mala Avas succeeded by Di Barut, or in full IPanembahau di Barut Sungi Matan. His reign was remarkable for two events, the founding of the now entirely decayed town of Matan, after which the Kingdom of J!klatan is still called although its remains are in Sintang, and the arrival of the first Mahomedan missionaries. These were Arabs from Palembang, and it is thought first preached their faith about A. D. 1550. Di Barut remained faithful to his creed ; he bore the character of being a brave intrepid man, a great hunter, and do feared that, at the sound of his voice troopH of warriors trembled and obeyed. He died at a great age, about A. D. 1590, being buried at Lalang on Bukit Laut. The rule of his aon and successor Panembahan Giri Koesama, is- remarkable in the history of Borneo in more than one respect. Mahomedanism triumphed in Succadana aud Matan ; the prince embraced the new creed, and married, about A. D. 1600, Putri Bunku, daugliter of Prabo^Raja of Landak. It has ah-eady been said that on the site of the present iMatan, tliere stood a town, Aucra or Angrat, the residence of a Fatti wlio ruled in the name of the Sultan of Majapait. These pattis were- probably the founders of the royal house that became independent with the fall of Majapait, and at the time of the introduction of Mohamcdauisra seven pattis had ruled at Angrat, all bearing the name of Pulang Pale/ The last of these princes dreamt he had found in hia Kingdom a maiden of surpass- ing beauty. Burning with a desire to unite with her whose image had appeared to hira, he caused her to be sought every where, till at length she "n.as discovered in the village (deasa) of Salimpat in the person of one Dara Itam, who however refused to come to hira, so that artifice had to be resorted to. Dara Itam was said to be a great doctoress; the prince, feigning sickness, had himself brought before her house in a boat, and after great persuasion, and the depiction of the prince's grievous condition, she was induced to enter the boat to see her patient; no sooner had she entered than the ropes were cast loose and the prince carried her off to Angrat, where he married her. Shortly afterwards a Banjermassin Dyak, by order of his chief, took the head of a relation of Pulang Pale, who when he heard it swore he would give all he desired to that man who would bring him the head of the murderer. Ria Sinar, the former lover of Dara Itam, to whom she had been betrothed, gratified the prince's wish, and in return claimed to choose one of his wives ; the prince, recollecting his oath, could not refuse, and although Dara Itam was ordered to blacken her face with ashes and charcoal, Ria Sinar recognized and claimed her, and took her to the village of Jiring on the Bentjuki river. On Dara Itam confessing to him with shame that she was px'egnant, their marriage was deferred till after her confinement, when she brought into the world a son, who at her desire was called Abdul-Kahir, a universal Arab name meaning servant of the Almighty, so we may conclude that Dara Itam was already acquainted with the Mahomedan creed, the which her son afterwards professed. Pulang Pale became half insane at the loss of his favorite wife, and at his death, the country fell into great confusion ; the population had declined, and the chiefs or penggaras had retired, some to Java and Sumatra, others to Sambas and Succadana. On reaching man's estate, Abdul-Kahir shewed his adventurous character, and keep- ing in mind his royal descent, determined to found a new kingdom witli the capital at Monggo; he collected the scattered population in the new village, and remained faithful to a promise he had made to hia step-sister never to impose a tax in his country. He was the founder of the Mahomedan dynasty known in Bornean history under the name of Landak. It may be urged that the above are but legends imd traditions, mere fables, worthless from an historical point of view, so interwoven with wild and extravagant narratives and stories, that no dependence can be placed on them, and that therefore we must dismiss them as unreliable, and deceptive and useless as guides to the past of the Land Dyaks. Granting a certain weight to attach to these arguments, we must still maintain that it is in legends and traditions, as well as in language, manners and customs, that we must seek for the early history of a people, and as regards these particular legends and tradi- tions, they may be so overlaid with fable and romance, that it may be difficult and in some instances impossible in the present state of our information to define the borders which separate them from history. But, if we consider the question of the traces of Hinduism among the Land Dyaks in all its bearings, we must I think arrive at the conclusion that the account we have given of these Uindu kingdoms, or settlements as they should perhaps be called, is fully in accordance with what we know of the existence of vestiges of Hinduism among the Dyaks, whether, as regards the stone figures,' utensils and remains, which are and have TIic Sarawak Dyaks have the same tratlitions and assert that many ages ago the '■vvhole country was under water and only the tops of the hijrhest mountains such as Pen- irisflcu, Matang, and Sibungo were visible above the sea level. In old ilays they say ships .and boats came right across from what is now the Sambas coast jiast the Sibungo range, to Sarawak. A small columnar mountain mid-way between Gurabang and Gading", •called Ji'mas, was then only just above water and prows used to touch there for ballast aud -big stones for anchors. What importance we may attach to these traditions and stories I leave geologists to decide, but it is very evident that the whole of Upper Sarawak ha,s all the appearance of having been at sometime under, and exposed to the action of water. Who, then, are the Land DyaUs aud from whence have they come ? This is no easy .-question to answer. I may sum uj) by repeating that the Sarawak Dyaks came in the first f instance from Sjzibug, and if the legend quoted above can be believed in, they the Siigbng^'<^ • came from across the sea. ^ The traces of Hinduism so thoroughly pervade the manners, cus- mIn""heLanrD''"k^-'" *°™^' *"^^ I'sligious observances of these Dyaks, that it seems super- .»mong le an ya "s. fluQ^g ^q refer to them; Low, St. John, Ohalmers and others have written and described them so fulh-, that it seems a work of supererogation to try to add more to the information we already possess from these soiu'ces. Still the questions may be asked, how comes it that Hinduism so thoroughly per- vades the Dyak customs and manners, both social and religious ? to whom are they indebted for the same? and when and how came it; to pass that the Land Dyaks were Bubservient to Hindu rule ? In studying the various vrorks on Sarawak by English authors I can find no reply to the above questions; local tradition points to Santubong a.-3 having been perhaps an in- portant Hindu settlement, aud from the many gold and other articles of Hindu manufac- ture continually being found both there and in Kuchiug and its neighbourhood, this settlement might in a measure supply answer.^ to the queries. Bat there are even stronger evidences of the existence not only of Hindu settle- ments but of Hindu governments on the west coast of Borneo, iind in laying an account of lliesc before mj- readers I iiiust take this opportunity of acknowledging the deep obliga- tion I am under to Veth's admirable work " Borneo's Wester Afdeling" and the authors therein quoted, for much of the information I have been able to collect on this most interesting subject ; in fact it is from this work that the following notes are copied and compiled. Javanese history teaches us that the powerful Hindu kingdom of Ma,japait, which. .■between a. d, 1299 and a. d, 1475 or 1478 (when it was subverted by the Mahomedans) exercised great influence over the Archipelago as well as Java, had many settlements on the neighbouring islands, amongst which Borneo seems especially to have been colonized by the Hindu-Javanese of Alajapait. Among Malayan manuscripts we possess a remarkable list of numerous countries and states of the Indian Archipelago which were considered , to owe allegiance to Majapait. This list was communicated and discussed by Dulaurier in an article in " Le Journal Asiatique" June 1846 Pages 544, 71, entitled '• Liste des pays qui relevaient du i'oyaumf''*?^ de Madjapait a 1' epoque de sa destruction en 1475"' and if we may believe the above thea not only must Baujermassin and Kota Waringin in the South and Succadana in the Soathwest coast, (which is generally confirmed and acknowledged by many traditions) be considered as colonies and def)endencies of Majapait, but also Pasir and Koti on the «a8t and Sambas and Marapawa with the Kariraata islands on the west coast. According to another account, the countries in Borneo subject to Majapait were foverned by seven Hegents or Pattis, of whom the chief or Head Regent was settled at Angra or Angrat, which Tobias tell us was situated a few hours to the northward of Poutianak, and Gronovius considers as the capital of the kingdom which later gained the name of Landak, aud which he identifies with the site of the present village of Mandor, The other Hindu-Javanese regents seem to have been placed over Mampawa, Sambas, Sangouw and Sintang, while the fifth had his residence on the north coast, while the seat of the other may perhaps be found on the south and east coasts. 10 Dutcli authors say that the traditioua of the Avcst coast of Borneo arc unaiiinious ia^ ascribing to Majapait the foundation of Succadana. Succadana is the only kingdom accordin;^ to the above authority of which we have a continuous history. AJthongh thia history is greatly interwoven with fable, especially at its commencement it ia worth quoting- here, as even in its extravagance we can find traces of truth, though it may be difficult to define where fable oversteps history. "When Majapait fell, all the states subject to it on the west of Borneo, in whatever way acquired, seem to have been transferred to Succadana. The history of Succadana thus forms the centre for the west coast, until at least the rise of Pontianalc. I am again indebted to Veth for the following historical legends liearing on the intro- duction of Hinduism into western Borneo, based as they are on the writings of Muller, Gronovius, Tobias, Netscher, Van Lynden and others. , Brawidjaja, of the royal house of Majapait, suffbred from an infectious disease, and to prevent contagion was domiciled in a floating house or raft. A violent tempest tore the raft loose from its moorings, and carried the prince far out to sen, where he was exposed to great danger. The current drifted him to the mouth of the Pawan river (called Kafapan) on the west coast of Borneo. The prince benefitted greatly by the sea voyage, bathed daily in the river, a small fish with the, head of a cat called "adong," or " blangiiting" aiding materially his speedy return to convalescence by repeatedly licking his feet ; an- alligator called Warassa providing his daily wants. When convalescent the prince went hunting deer with two dogs he had brought with him. One day the dogs, barking furiously, stopped before a thick bamboo stem, into which the prince, after a long scrutiny, stuck his spear, which when withdrawn, th.'ie sprun'^ to view from the opening a beautiful princess, who t'lrjwing herself at the feet of Brawidjaja besought him to spare her and the bamboo. The priuc3 bore Putri IJutan, as she was called, to his raft, imploring her to share his lot with him, and it may be inferred he had not long to sigh in vain. Brawidjaja had found no other sign of the presence of human beings except that here and thire wood had been cut. He therefore again ascended the river some days' journey further up, but with the like result, till at last, returning at a rapid pace, a water flower shot up suddenly above the stream, from whence a whisper issued asking "Brawidjaja, what news bring you from the upper country?" Dropping his paddle the prince seized the flower with both hands ; it opened, and the- princess Lindong l.Suali stood before him. The same :ice:ie was now enacted as with Putri Butan ; the prince obtained two wives, who appear to have lived together in peace, without jealousy, sharing between them the proofs of his affection. Having now two wives, Brawidjaja built a house near where Kaping, the capital of Matan, now stands. Hiiving laid out rice-fields, he again ascended into the interior, where penetrating further than he had hitherto done, he met with some Dyaks who at once hailed him as their king, explaining that they had long looked forward to a ruler, and he had come as one called ; others say, that his teaching them the use of salt created this ho- mage, and that this same necessary gradually extended' his power. He appointed chiefs everywhere, who ruling in his name, paid him tribute. The people of Meliouw complain- in"- of oppression by one of his deputies, he sent thither his sun Gosti Likar, who settled there as Regent. ^ Visiting the spot where later flourished the counry of Succadana, and prompted oy the beauty of the situation, Brawidjaja erected a residence and collected persons together there, so that he may be considered the founder of the place. He spent the last years ot his reign at Succadana, and died there, being buried on the neighbouring hill Bnkit Laut, having done much for the civilization of Borneo. Brawidjaja was succeeded by his eldest sou Raja Bapurang, who gave the rule over Tajan in feudal tenure to his younger brother Pangeran Mantjar. Many Dyaks now settled at Succadana, Bapurang at the same time enlarging the former seat of government, now generally called Kota Lama. His daughter married the Regent of Sangouw, whence sprung the royal family of Sangouw. Bapurang on his death was succeeded by his son Pangeran Karang-Tlinjiiug, wh'c entered the Si I.alang stream which falls into tlie Sarawak river from the westward. It being a lovelj' night with a brilliant raoon, U^e ■^'''\g® °^^ my crew sang and shouted to such an extent, that we failed to observe ^ ■ the mouth of the Suba stream a little distance up which is situated the landing place of the Cxrogo village. Having rectified our error we entered the Suba, and ifc was 8 p. m. before we dre^y up our boat alongside the sloping bank on the summit of which stands the village. Our journey had been slow and laborious as both the Si Lalang- .and Suba streams -were dry and full of ol)Struction6. Grogo village is built close to the Suba on the right bank ascending, and no sooner -was my advent communicated to the Orang Kaya, then he pressed me to take up my quarters in his house, but I preferred my boat as the ni^ht was fine aud cool to the heat and noise of a Dyak liouse. Tlie next morning (29th July) I was early astir, and enjoyed a delightful bath in the Suba streani ; above the landing place is a shady pool with a gra- velly bottom the very spot for a- .swim. The Grogo Dyaks are an off-shoot of the great Sauh tribe which was formerly settled at Beratak, on a spur of Gunong Undang, incorrectly called Sauh, which, ^^trib^of D^ak^ ^^^^ *° *^® westward of the present village. In 184 the S:iuh tribe n e ya s. ^^^ attacked by a, bala. or war-party of Undup and Balow Dyaks under Seriff Jappar, who landed on the Lundu side, aud although sickness was rife in the village .and it was under pamali, the Sauhs repulsed their adversaries with so much success that 150 of the attacking party were left dead on the field, the Sauhs saying that their own loss amounted to only two heads. The Sauhs followed up the pursuit of the enemy with the Seatest vigour, and the retreating foe had to effect their escape through a plain of high laug grass, M'hich from a long continued drought was very dry. Here the Sauhs sur- rounded the bala, fired the grass, and those who were not burnt to death had to face the infuriated Dyaks, who slaughtered without mercy. Seriff Jappar escaped with difl&culty, leaving his arms behind him, together with a valuable war head-dress covered with Arab ■charms. This trophy was lost to the tribe in the succeeding attack on this village by Sea Dyaks. 'J'he Sauhs were greatlj' elated at their victory, and well they might be, for such a suc- cess had never before been gained by land Dyaka over their formidable foes. At this time Makaka was Orang Kaya of Wauh, and troubled iif his heart at what had occurred, he resigned the chieftainship, and retired to Serambo where he died. He was succeeded by Kadup and Nyiamang, and it was durini; the rule of these chiefs that Seriffs Mahaiar and Sahib collected a powerful bala of tjaliarrau fSea) Dyaks to avenge the defeat of the last expedition. These Sakarran Dyaks whose chiefs were Gasing, Bulan, Jiang and Retap ascended the Lundu river, till they reached a branch called the Kyan, continuing their course up this tributary S&»^r as the Si Bobut stream, they abandoned their boats, and having collected their forces walked to Tungoie Kyan, and thence to Butan a valley near the foot of Gu- nong Undang. Here they ascended the Undang to its summit, and dividing the bala into 25 three parties they fell on the village (which was situated about half way down tlie inountain> £rom above, carried it by storm and put the inhabitants to the sword. The poor Sauh Dyaks ■were completely unprepared for this attack, very many of the fighting men under Nyia- mang were on the war-path in the direction of Sambas engaged with the Si Noyung Dyaks. Orang Kaya Kadup was in charge of the village with barely 100 men, half of whom were- absent at tlie farms or ladangs. The forts or stockades protected by lelahs and guns with ■which the Sauhs had surrounded the village, were easily taken, for there were not enough Dyaks to man them. The Sauhs were cut off in detail and slaughtered almost to a man,. in fact the tribe was completely "smashed up", while 200 or 300 women and children were carried into captivity, from which they were only released through the mediation and intervention of Sir James Brooke. Those of the Sauh tribe who escaped the sword of their enemies sought fresh settle- ments, their village was a blackened mass of cha rred and smouldering ruins, the fruit- trees had been destroyed, and the country ravaged. Thus it came about that the great Sauh tribe became scattered over the face of the country, and is now found under the -distinct and separate Dyak names of Grogo, Suba, Krokong, Jagui and Aup. All these settlements spring from the once flourishing and prosperous tribe of Sauh, which had its location at Beratak on Gunong TJndang. When the Grogo portion of the tribe left Bera- tak, they shifted their quarters to Raat, a huge rock some 500 feet high, on a shoulder of ■which about 100 feet up they erected their village, and when this was burnt down acci- dentally some eight years ago, they moved to their present site which is about a mile or so from Eaat. Having inspected the village which I found in pretty much the same condition as- Singhi, I suggested to the Orang Kaya the necessity of re-building it, but the force of my remarks seemed to create little effect. The head-house here with 9. heads is clean but aU around is filth and refuse. Grogo is under Orang Kaya Jennis the successor of Steer Eajah Niamok who figures go frequently in Keppel's and Mundy's Journals. Niamok was on one occasion removed from the Orang Kayaship of the tribe by Sir James Brooke, but was re-instated in 1865, he died 4 years ago. In 1873 Grogo paid revenue on 82 families which at $3 per family will give $246, The birds nests appertaining to the Sauh tribe are divided between the Grogo, Suba and Krokong Dyaks in the following proportions. Grogo enjoys the produce of the caves for 2 years, then Suba, and then Krokong each for 1 year, the revenue to be paid to Govern- ment being 7,000 nests per annum. Jagui is also interested, but the village being far dis- tant from the caves, these Dyaks decline to work them. This year the caves go to Kro- kong. A small vein of- very superior antimony ore "was found near Grogo, but was soon exhausted when worked by the Borneo Company. At ^ past 8 a. m. I started for Tambawang Beratak, as the late site of the Sauh settlement is now called. The Dyaks apply the word tambaiwang to the Th» TillagB rf Tam- former site of a village or house, or to the site of a former dwelling- wang '■*■*• place of a tribe. The word itself is however Malay, but has been adopted ty the Dyaks. Except one or two employes of the Borneo Company who were prospect- ing the country for antimony ore, no European has visited this spot, which is occupied by ft few families who have returned to what "was once the scene of the prosperity of their people. Leaving Kaat on our left we soon opened a view of the Undang mountain, and a cou- ple of hours' shiirp walking brought us to the village of Tambawang which is on a spur of ihe mountain, and the ascent to which necessitates a steepish bit of climbing. The road 26 however from Gropfo was good, being over the flat with a great many bataugs laid on the ground, with occasionally a wet paddy-field or two to get across as beat we might. I found the villaoe a wretched, dirty, tumble down place, poverty stricken in the extreme. The population may be reckoned at 30 doors having no Orang Kaya, but under the jurisdiction of two Tuas Pa Surit and Pa Baga ; Beratak Tambawang pays revenue under Grogo. In 1873 Beratak Tambawang paid revenue on 33' fanailies which at $3 ... |99. 'J'he Dyaks tell me that at the time of the destruction of the village the population was estimated at 380 lawacgs paying tax, and about 23 untaxed, but this I consider below a proper estimate. There was nothing to note in the village, the head-house was small with three skulls said to be those of a Chinese and two Saribas Dyaks ; before the village was destroyed it boasted four panggaa. Beratak Tambawang is well situated, and is surrounded by some fine old fruit trees, but, the people are poor and sickly while many are suffering from skin diseases. I left the village a little after noon, and the heat on my return journey to Grogo was intense. The Grogo Dyaks like all the Sauh tribe burn their dead, there is one sexton and another at Beratak Tambawang, Suba the neighbouring village is without one, and borrows from Grogo when there is necessity. These Dyaks tell me that the Peninjauh story is true as^regards the descent of the kSauhs. It will be remembered in the account given of the Serambo Dyaks, that Rupak had a step-son named Bunga, the child by a first husband of a widow whom he had mar- ried. Bunga's son was Putan, who, moved to Sungie Pinang, his son was Karud, and Karud's son Makurung moved his portion of the tribe to Beratak, hence the Sauh tribe The Grogos bear out this, and say that when they left Dinding they went to Sungie Pinang, thence to Rata Manas, thence to Guuong Kingi, and then settled at Beratak. ^Yhen they came to Beratak they found the Gumbang and Tringus Dyaks already on their respective moimtains. The Orang Kaya seemed anxious to collect the Grogos and Subas and return to Bera- tak, as he says many of the people are short of land. It appears to me however that the Orang Kaya himself is the chief mover in this matter, in which he is aided and abetted by some of the Grogo people. This tribe of Dyaks have suffered from no sickness this year, but the paddy crops have been bad. There are two Chinese settled in Grogo — Assam and Anni — another Assa has left. _ , , g I may here take the opportunity of describing the dress of the Dyaks bo Sinchi & Sauh ^^'"^^'^J' visited, and my description will include the whole of the :;auh Dyaks. trile as well as tl ose of Serambo and Singhi. The men generally wear a dark blue or black head-cloth, and sometimes also a cloth of Malay pattern, a neck-lace of two or three strings of beads the only colours used being red, white, black and yellow. On great occasions brass wire rings are worn halfway up the arm to the elbow, and above this armlets of the rotan ijuk which are replaced by silver armlets among the upper classes when in full dress. Round the waist is worn a cloth called the ' chawat ' by the Malays, and the ' taup ' by the Land Dyaks, this is a long cloth twisted round the waist the ends being allowed to hang down down before and be- hind. The chawat or taup is generally of black or dark blue cloth, and sometimes of scarlet colour, but, in jungle wear and among the poorer Dyaks, this is often changed for the inside of the bark of the tree which produces the bread-fruit. Low calls it the Artocar- pus (see " Sarawak and its Productions" Page 240.) Among the D^'aks this tree is known as the Bayu, among the Malays the Temarang. While speaking of the 'chawat' or 'taup ' I cannot help calling attention to the very close similarity which exists between this waist-cloth, and that shown on some of the fi- gures on the old Hindu remains in Java. The accompanying sketches will explain what is meant. No. 1 is the ordinary ' ch«wat ' or ' taup ' of the Sarawak Land Dyak, ^o. 2 is a 27 copy of a figure on the ruias at Suku near Sura-Kerta ia Java and is taken from Raffles'a His- tory of Java. A Kling merchant of Sarawak assures me that in Madras there are three tribes of natives of the cooly class who still adopt this arti- cle of dress. They are settled in the Madras Presidency, one tribe is called the Verdahs in the jungles of the Neil- gherry mountains. The other two tribes "Wottens and Kora- vins , inhabit the plains in the Ma- nargoil district in the im media te neighbourhood o f Madras. I must now continue my description of the Dyak dress. n the right aide the Land Dyak s u 8- pends a small bas- ket, often very prettily plaited, to which is attached a knife in a bamboo sheath, the latter sometimes tasteful- ly carved and co- lored. The basket, knife and fittings are called the tun- kin, the basket itself is the tambuk and holds the siri leaf and is made to con- tain two round little cases for lima and tobacco called de- kan, and a piece of ihe inuer bark of the bayu tree, while the knife in its eheath hanging on the outside of the tunkin is callod the ^.^ix "^ sinda. A sword or parang is worn on the left side, the one in general use is that called buco by the Dyaks and tun- duk by the Malays, another parang used ia the bye of the Dyaks and kam- ping of the Malays. Ear-rings consist- ing of a single ring of broad ftattened wire or else pieces of thin round bamboo ^ of an inch in dia- meter, and some two inches long, ornamented with the black thread- like bauds of the lemmun creeper are worn tlu'ougli the lobes of the ear. A jacket of some coarse clotli often of Sea Dyak manufac- ti're completes the costume, which may in fact apply to all the Laud Dyak tribes visited by me, though I may add that on festive occar sions, the head-men sometimes wear a necklet or bobut of wire, on which are strung opaque beads of a- dark green and blue co- lour, with which are mixed kejaug, deer and bear's teeth. The armlets or nan- nu are made of brass wire and rottan twisted tog ether and very neat they are. Ear-rings, shi- bu are worn of wire twisted round in a coil and hanging from the ear by a single bend of the . same. 28 The •vromen of the above mentioned tribes wear a necklace of two or more strings round the neck, red, yellow and black coloured beads being used. On Dress of the festive occasions this becomes a heavy mass of bead-work a^ it is worn in Dyak^tribea of J^^t^J colls. Round the arms, between the shoulders and elbow, armlets are Sauh, Singhi and worn made of the red wondof the heart of the tapang tree which becomes Serambo. hard on exposure to the atmosphere. Brass rings cover the lower portion of the arm from the wrist to the elbow, but never above it. The dress is a sarong or waiat-cloth called the jammu made of coarse cloth generally of Sea Dyak manufacture, and brass rings are worn on the legs below the knees. Eound the waist hanging loose over the loins partially covering the jammu, are coils of split rotan fastened together by small brass rings ; these coils of rotan are called rambi, (uberi by the Sennak Dyaks) and are made of the rotan padina stained black, which colour, is the only one in use amongst these tribes. Bauds of small fine brass chains some three indhes in breadth •(sabit) are worn round the loins mixed with the rambi, and at feitsts silver coins are worn on the edge of the jammu, and as a kind of belt round the loins. I must not forget to mention that the jammu is fastened round the waist by a string of rotan, or twisted length* of the ijuk fibre from the No palm or other substance. This string is worn loosely next to the skin, round the waist, the jammu is drawn round to the hip and then folded back across the body, the string is then pulled over it and this keeps the cloth in its proper place and position round the waist. The women of the above tribes and no others wear the Seladan. This is made of split pieces of bamboo, placed one inch apart from one another, nine or ten inches long, dyed black, flattened and pared thin to fit the body, which it covers from the waist to half over or under the breasts. When fitted to the body, brass wire passing across its breadth keeps it in its proper form and position, and is also ornamental. The Seladan is worn by girls &t an early age, and as it is too small to be -taken off constructed as it is on the body, it has to be destroyed when a larger one is required by the women. In concluding my account of the Grogo Dyaks I must add that they are good boat- builders. When on my way to Tambawaiig Beratuk I came across a Dyak jalur which a Grogo Dyak had built of kapila wood or voiiii as these people call it; this boat was 6^ fathoms long and worth some $8. • At about 10 a. m. the next morning I was on my way to Suba. This village of the The Suba village Sauh tribe is very prettily situated commanding views of Bau, Serambo And tribe of Dyak» and Raat. I had first to pole my boat down the Suba stream, when, I landed and some 20 minutes walking brought me to the collection of houses which make up the village. Suba is not a large village, it was taxed for revenue in 1873 at 30 lawangs which. "at $3 $ 90 This was paid in cash. To the above revenue must be add 7,000 bird's nests Avhich weighed 120 catties and sold for $360 $ 450 There is no Orang Kaya here, the village is under a Tua one Pa Jahap or Nuudun. I did not meet this man who was absent on his farm, and I only rested for n short. time in the head- house in which were two skulls said to have been taken from the Sarebas Dyaks on the Pamutus exuedition. The houses were clean and I noticed one in particular of eleven doors which must have been over 130 feet in length, all under one roof. It struck me that the Dyaks here were in a better condition than at Grogo and Siiijihi, owing perhaps to their consuming more fish as the settlement is in close proximity to the Sarawak river. At about 1 p. m. I turned my steps towards Bau, having first wished farewell to the Orang Kaya of Grogo who had accompanied me so far on my wa)'. This Orany Kaya mi^ht well be called " Old Tom " for no Dyak has so persistently bothered me for Sjjirits — I. e. gill as this man has. He is a sulky, obstinate, reticent old man even imbibing his fttvorite beverage seldom made him loquacious. Half an hours walking throutjh newly felled jungle cleared for paddy planting brought me to a bamboo hanging-bridge over the Sarawak river. This bridge constructed, 29 of jungle wood and bamboo waa 138 feet in- length and most skilfully put together. A. short distance from this was pangkalan Bau where I found my boat awaitini; my arrival. The Serambo, Peuinjanh, Bombok, Singhi, Grogo and Suba Dyaks plant no vegeta- bles or only La the smallest quantities. The Singhi and Serambo Dyaks have a small number of sa^jo trees, but, not enough for their own wants, though some of the land ia the neighbourhood of the former village is admirably suited for growing this palm. On the 3 1st July at 9 a. m , I left Bau and at a little past 10 o'clock reached La- bang Angin having poled my boat against a pretty strong current The cave at Lubaiig. Angin (The wind-hole) has been so fully described by Low and others that I pass it by without comment, suffice it to say that I thoroughly explored the cave, and found it bore- out all that had been written about it. I reached Bedi about noon, and as it was too late to proceed to Jagui which village -g^ ,. was to have been my next halting-place I resolved to remain here for the rest of the day. The Borneo Company formerly worked antimony ore here to a great extent, but, the mines have been long abandoned, lately they have resumed operations though on a small scale, and there is only a Chinese mandore with « few of his countrymen and a few Sambas Dyaks in possession of the works. The next morning at 8 a. m., I poled up the Sarawak river to the mouth of Sungei Si Tuppong, which stream entering the main river from the westward is about an hour's- boating from Bedi, and on its left bank is the landing place of the Jagui tribe of Dyaks- "We had however scarcely entered the stream, when our further progress was rendered impossible by an immense tree which had fallen, and entirely blocked it up from bank to bank. Being without any means of cutting our way through this obstruction I resolved to return, continue my course up the Sarawak river to Prasun the head-quarters of the Krokong tribe of Dyaks, and thence despatch messengers to Jagui to remove the fallen tree. Two hours of difficult and fatiguing poling caused by the dryness of the river, and the obstacles in the shape of trunks of trees and gravelly beds, and we- reached the landing-place of the Prasun village, and a few minutes walk brought me to The Prasun vil- t^ie village itself which I found cleaner than when I last visited it four lago andBIrokong- years ago, when sickness (cholera) was prevalent. I rested in the pangga tribe of Dyaka. a small, but, clean building, havinaf 6 heads suspended in it. The present village is situated at the foot of a mountain of the same name. The original settlement was at Krokong (now called Tambawansr JKrokong) whence the Dyaks who are a branch of the Sauh tribe derive their name. The Krokong Dyaks are under Orang Kaya Si Gin, the former Orang Kaya Numbing is still alive, but, very old and infirm and takes little interest in the affairs of the tribe. The Krokong tribe paid revenue in 1873 on 31 families or lawangs which at $3 $33 There has been no sickness to speak of lately in the tribe, and though the place is ia a filthy mess, it has greatly improved since my last visit. I ascended the mountain (Pra- sun) at the back of which some 7 or 8 miles distant is Tegora where the Borneo Company are working cinnabar. As usual I spent the greater part of the night talking to the head-;- men. The Orang Kaya seemed satisfied with the paddy crop which though not abundant had been up to the average ; the tribe would this year work the Sauh caves for bird's nests. These Dyaks told me such queer stories regarding the caves in Gunong Kapoh near Bedi where they find their nests, that I determined to visit them on my way down river. In one cave it was said was an immense cat which protected some jars of fabulous age and value. Then again there were numbers of stone statues, one in particular was said to be sitting cross-legged playing on the gendang, all these sights, and many more I was assured I would see if I visited the caves, and with these assertions were blended numerous legends and stories too wild and lengthy to be entered in this narrative. On the following morning I left Prasun to descend the Sarawak river to again attempt the ascent of the Si Tupponsr, visiting the caves of Gunong Kapoh on my way; Dyaks had been sent to Jagui from Prasun to order the removal of the obstruction in tha Si Tuppong stream, so I hoped to reach the Jagui village before night. My departure iirom Prasun was delayed by heavy rain till 10 a. m. when I found myself at the pangka- 30 Ian, and descending the Sarawak river soon brought up my boat under the immense blook of lime-stone known a3 Gunong Kapoh. On landing I found no trace of a path, and the Gunonc Kapoh -^.V^^s who accompanied me cleared a track through the jungie follow- and its caves. ^"K ^ 'i"C of land-marks known onl}' to themselves. In many places the ground was wet and swampy and the underwood dense, but, by placing batangs over the former, and hacking down the latter with parangs, we at length after an hour's hard work reached the foot of the mountain. Gunong Kapoh well repays a visit, it towers over-head in perpendicular faces for hundreds and hundreds of feet, it is in fact a stupendous block of lime-stone covered with trees, and to its summit full of caves, in which •re found the valuable edible bird's nests. Many of the caves are on the level, and are ■heltered by over-hanging shelves of lime-stone jutting out from the foot of the mountain Under these shelves are flats with room for hundreds of people to congrei,'ate, and which run back into caves extending deep into the bowels of the mountain, the nightly resort of numbers of deer us their tracks can testify for they are found over the whole place. I entered one of these caves, I believe the one said to be haunted by the ghostly cat, and by the aid of a lantern, torches, and candles penetrated some distance into the mountain, but, found it simply a cave such as abounds in all the lime-stone cliffs. The stone statues proved of course a myth, the origin of the story lying in the fantastic forms which the lime-stone assumes. After leaving the caves and tramping again through jungle and swamp, we continued our descent of the Sarawak river, and again pushed our way up the Si Tuppong only to find it still obstructed by the fallen timber. I had therefore no alternative but to return Eetum to Bed' *° Bedi, whence I resolved to proceed again to Prasmi on the following day, and thence walk overland to the Jagui village. I spent the remain- der of the daj' in inspecting the ore workinns. The Borneo Company have constructed a tramway hei-e which extends to the eastward for a distance of 2 miles, and which connects an extensive working called the East mine with the river ; the Company had also woi-ks on the other side of the river at Si Buan to which they gave the name of the West mine. In the course of my walk I came upon a small settlement of Sambas Dyaks employed by the fiamb a D k Borneo Company in exploring for antimony, I was surprised to see the small temporary huts of these Dyaks surrounded with patches of gar- dens, affording a most agreable contrast to the habitations of the Sarawak Land Dyaks. In these gardens were planted such vegetables as the Dynks delight in, and the ground was well tilled and flourishing. These Sambas Dyaks though of Land Dyak stock have, mixed much with the Chinese, ado-pt a sort of Chinese dress, and mnny speak the Chinese language. They are active and industrious, and though much addicted to gambling are quiet and peaceful, in their habits, giving the Government little or no trouble. A considerable number of ihese Dyaks are employed by the Borneo Company in their mining operations, and are highly spoken of by all the Company's managers. I shall further on druw a comparison between the Sarawak and Sambas Laud Dyaks which will certainly not be to the advantage of the former. The Sambas Dyaks whom I had now met told me they were from Lumar, the Dyaks who sought work in the Sarawak territory were principally from the Lumar, Pelayu, Kara, Lumut, Sibahu, Teria, Pint, Suntalak, Banyuki, Bukit, Si Tango, Sapa, Maribas, Sumpata, and Sunok districts. They were visited they said once or twice perhaps in five years by a. Dutch official, and if they had any cases to bring before the notice of Government, they had to appear before the Controlleur or Maeristnite at Lara. These Lumar Dyaks informed me that the asil or tax paid by them to the Govern- ment was 66 gantangH of paddy per annum, which at 8 gantangs per passu would equal 6^ Sambas passua. But 1 Sambas passu equals 2^ Sarawak passus, which will give 20^ Sarawak passus of paddy as the equal of 8^ Sambas paasus which at even the low price of 20 cents per passu for the paddy is not No. 1 $4.12 While the Sarawak Dyaks pay 3 paasus of rice or 6 paasus of the best paddy, which at 50 cents would be the equivalent of the annual tax, via. $3. In addition to the above the Dutch Dyaks pay 1 rupee or 36 cents of a dollar per curtain per annum to the pembakal .. 0.36 Carried forward $4.48 31 Brought forward $ 4.48 and again 1 auku or 18 coats of a dollar per annum to the pembakal for the ball 0.18 and on cutting their paddy (bunga taun) another 18 cents of a dollar per curtain per annum to the pembakal 0.18 and once more in the year they pay 2 sukus or 36 cents of a dollar as a marriage portion fund (wong kawin) for the daughters of the Sultan ■whether they marry in the year or not 0.36 In all annually | 5.20 The l)utch Dyaka have also to make roads and keep them in repair, without payment feeding themselves when so employed, and they have also to keep the ball or buildings of the Malays in repair, and have also to give fowls and rice when visited by Government officials, headmen, &c. but, this latter, they added, was but the usual Dyak adat or custom. The language of these Dyaks is very similar to that of the Sarawak Land Dyaks, such words as I compared being identical. The Chinese headman in charge of the Borneo Company's works in this district had been many years in Upper Sarawak, and I elicited from him the fol- eold lowing prices of thedifierent kinds of Sarawak gold as found in the gold districts of Sarawak Territory : Bau $ 28 per bunkal. Gunong Angus near Jambusan ... $ 30 to $ 32 „ Gunong Kiladi between Paku and Busu $30 to „ 3'2 „ Baku ... $28 to „ 29 „ Gumbang „ 28 „ SJgow ... „28 „ Serin ... „ 28 „ Marup ... $30 to,, 32 „ On th« morning of the 3rd August I despatched ray crew to the mouth of the Si Tup- pong stream who returned, and reported the fallen tree still in its former position, I therefore started to return to Prasun leaving my boat to proceed to the Krokong pangka-. Ian with my stores and kit. Accompanied by ray Malay Abang I followed the abandoned tramway till it ended •bruptly at an old ore pit. Here we struck the jungle and after about an hour'a ^valk over a fair Dyak path found ourselves once more at the village of Prasun. r^*e° Prasun yj^y arrival here was perfectly unexpected, the Orang Kaya was not to be found, and I had to sit patiently for some two hours without fire or water, finding it even difficult to procure cocoa-nuta as the village being new the trees were young. Without the Orang Kaya nothing can be done in a Dyak village, and I oontemplated my position with dismay, for without - the chiefs assistance I had every prospect of spending the night in darkness without food, fire, or water, everything I had Deing in the boat, to add to my troubles heavy rain had set in making it impossible for either the Abang or myself to move in the wet and dark. It is no easy matter to move about at any time in a Dyak village, where the paths are but batangs and where filth, offal and dirt surround you on every side, in the dark it was simply out of the question. At 7 p; if. the Orang Kaya arrived having been called from his farm, and notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather a party of Dyaks was organized who proceeded to the pangkalan with torches, and soon returned with kit and stores giving me eyentually the pleasure of dining at the fashionably late hour of 10 p. m. The Orang Kaya tried to persuade me not to proceed to Sikong, assuring me that some of his people were threatened there with the loss of their heads when in that country seeking [for guttah. This I afterwards found to be untrue, the fact is the Singhi, the Grogo and Krokong Dyaks have all in former times tukca Sikong heads, and this is not forgotten; it would certainly be unsafe for any individuals of the three above-named tribes to enter the Sikoag country. I started next morning for Jagui, passing through the village I found it more 32 poverty-smitten than I first imagined. Many of the Dyaks suffer greatly from korap, and eeem a weedy, sickly people, though from the clean, well-built appearanca of some indivi- duals, it can perhaps be seen what might be made of the Land Dyaks if a better system of agriculture were introduced, and they were better fed and housed. Half an hour's walk from the village brought me to the Krokong landing-place on a stream called, I believe, the Beniouwan; crossing this we entered almost immediately and waded waist deep across the Sarawak river. Here I found my boat, but, I left it with instructions to await my return at this point. Half an hour's steady walking rendered fatiguing by the, slipper}' and muddy condition of the path, brought us to a clearing in the jungle, with a fine plantation of old fruit trees. This was the site of the old village of Krokong now abandoned for Prasun. The Krokong tribe of Dyaks had formerly two settlements, one at Krokong and another at Prasun, which latter is situated at the foot of the mountain of the same name, near the right bank of the Krokong or Beniouwan stream a tributary of the Sarawak river, and running parallel with it. The two settlements are now united ac Prasun the occupation of which promises to be permanent. Two hours of hard work in the way of climbing, walking, falling and wading, and we emerged on the Sungei Si Tuppong into which we were glad to plunge after the fatigue of our march. I can only describe tho road from the Sarawak river to pangkalan Jagui where y\e now were, as a simple jungle track carried up hill and down hill, across streams, and along the face of hills in any manner that seemed to strike the fancy of the Dyaks. The path had been long abandoned, and there was an utter absence of scenery, nothing but jungle, before, behind and on either hand, nothing but jungle. At this spot which is the landing-place of the Jagui Dyaks, Goverumant has sta- tioned a native revenue collector or pembakal who is in charge of the whole of the Dyaks of the westeru branch of the Sarawak river from Serambo to Tringus. This man whose name is Saril lives in a miserable little hut on the bank of tne stream, so dirty that I declined to enter it, preferring to rest in a Dyak "lanco" or temporary erection during the period of my halt here. Continuing our journey from the landing-placewe pushed on for the Jagui village, which is on the summit of a mountain of the same name, 1500 feet high. An hour and a-half s walking brought us to the foot of the hill, the path being over level ground, dry, with numerous batangs to facilitate travelling. So many of these batangs were of bilian wood that I could only infer that thia timber was plentiful throughout the district. "We commenced the ascent of the Jagui mountain in a perfect torrent of rain. 'J'he climbing, was of the steepest description, being simply a series of steps of pieces of wood placed zig-zag along the sides of the hill like ladders, and occasionally perpendicularly. We counted no less than 2476 of these steps, some of which were the roots of trees, and I may describe my progress as an eternal ^'etting up stairs. Half an hour's climbinu', and we passed tne ruins of a tompok or hamlet called Rodan, this is now abandoned, and the inhabitants have moved to the torapok at the summit of the hill. A further climb brought us to tompok Temudak, and a^aiu Tl^ Tillage and climbing broui-ht us to tompok Attas and village of Jayui. There are Ja^ui. ^^ ^ ° two more tompoks Si Matang and Tambawan^i. The Orang Kaya wished me to make his house my resting-place during the time of my sojourn amongst the tribe, but, I preferred the freedom and space of the pangga to the confinement, noise, and smell of a Dyak house. I made it a rule always to stay in the head-house, and I was consequently free from the eternal jabber of the women, or the squalling of the children and babies, besides having ample room to receive the natives who always crowded to see me, and who soon filled an Orang Kaya's house till it was impossible to move and often difficult to breath. The head-house at Jagui was new, clean, and being spacious and lofty I was soon comfortably housed. There were 12 heads in the building taken 1 fancy, in the Chinese insurrection; there is another pangga some- where with 9 heads. Jagui is another of the Sauh vUlages, and is the largest and wealthiest, paying revenu* in 1873 on 107 families or lawangs which at $ 3 $321 Jagui has also a vested interest in the bird's nest caves of the Sauh tribe, of which however it declines to avail itself as the caves are too far distant to be properly worked. 33 The tribe 13 under Orang Kaya Koti, who is the successor of Orang Kaya Kabing who still lives, but ia old and shaky. These chiefs were glad to see a European in their village, and explained why the fallen tree had not been removed in the Si Tuppong stream. The fact is these Dyaks have no boats, and had to borrow one from the Malays, who would not believe at first that there was a " tuan "' at Prasuu. Orang Kaya Kabing told me I should have no trouble with the Sikongs who were not half so bad as they were represented to be, he himself had been there three or four times, and had always been well received. The Si Baddat and Sikong Dyaks had been at war arising out of a Si Baddat going to Sikong and carrying otf a man's wife, and on her restitution being demanded it was refused, whereupon Sikong took two heads from Si Baddat who retaliated by taking one from Sikong, but, peace had now been patched up between these tribes. It was while this fighting was going on that some Sarawak Dyaks, (not Krokongs as told me at Prasun but Aups) were in the Si Baddat country after giittah. The Sarawak Dyaks went to Sikong having been previously warned by the Si Baddats not to return by the way they went, the Sikongs likewise cautioned them, and they therefore returned by Tabiah. It was the people of the lower tompok of Si- kong under Macomboy, who warned the Aup Dyaks, and told them that 30 Sikongs were out after the Si Baddats under one Kira, as it was from his tompok that the woman had been carried oflf. Kabing was most anxious to accompany me to Sikong, saying he' would assist and protect me &c., having no wish however to bring this old man into trouble should it occur, I was obliged to decline his offer. The view from the summit of Jagui is very grand, there is nothing in the Sarawak territory I have seen to equal it. The whole of Sarawak Proper lies spread as a map at one's feet, and mountain after mountain can be clearly and distinctly traced with, the naked eye into the far horizon. The whole sea coast is visible from the Sadong river to Tanjong Datu; to the west is Lundu and the Sadong country; to the south Seraung, Si Bnngo, Gumbang, Tringus, and in the far distance the mountains' in the Dutch territory of Sangouw, while to the west are the mountains in the district between the western and southern branches of the Sarawak river, and the distant mountains of Sadong complete the picture and fill in the background of this panorama. To any one wishing to learn what is really the extent of Sarawak Proper, the summit of Jagui presents facilities of studying its limits and geography, such as could hardly be afforded by the study of all the maps and books we possess. I can compare the view from Jagui to no other in Upper Sarawak for extent and diversity of scenery, for not only does it embrace the coast line and the Sarawak river which add the charm of water to the- landscape, but the hills in the vicinity seem piled up and again scattered about in the most erratic and irregular manner. In my opinion it is greatly superior to the view over the Sadong country so glowingly described by Wallace in his Malay Archipelago Vol. I. pages 112-13. The Jagui farming lands border on the Dutch possessions in the Sambas territory, Tebero and Selacco Dyaks farming in the immediate vicinity. Disputes occasionally arise between the Sarawak and Sambas Dyaks regarding their respective boundaries, and the right of farming land ; one dispute of this nature is now pending. The Government, custom has been to define the boundaries by the water-shed, the Sambas Dyaks following the flosv of water in their direction, our Dyaks that to this side. This appears at the first glance a very simple and satisfactory arrangement, but, the dispute now pending betweea the Jagui and Tebero Dyaks will require some fixed territorial limits before the question can be considered as satisfactorily settled. The Tebero Dyaks or rather the Sultan of Sambas whose subjects they are, claims revenue from the Jaguis on the ground that they farm land on the Sambas side of the water- shed. This is not denied by the Jaguis, who however stoutly maintain that the land in dispute has been in possession of their tribe from time immemorial. The land, say they, is perhaps the best they have and is eagerly- coveted by the Teberos, and it was very easy for JNIr. G — (the Government officer charged, with the revenue survey at the time) to give away their laud without compensation and without their consent, and this though they had never accepted the water-shed as the boundary between the respective territories. The Jaguis complain that Government has conlined them to the Sarawak side, while their land has been taken from them without any equivalent, the Teberos being great gainers and they heavy losers, all and everything 34 teing to the advantage of the Dutch Dyaks, and they a,dd (which is probably untrue), tha^ most if not all tlie land on the Sarawak side worth anything has already been taken up bj the Singhi and otlier tribes. The real point at issue appears to be that the Jagui Dyaks do not wish to part with good land which they have farmed for generations, nor do they see wliy they being subjects of the Rajah of Sarawak should pay revenue to the Sultan of Sambas. On the other hand the Sultan claims what he considers but his lawful revenue, given him through an arrangement made by the Sarawak Government itself. Being pressed for time, I determined to leave Jayui the next da}-, but, the Orang Kaya and bead men wished me to stay another night in the village or as they expressed it demanded the custom " minta adat", so that I could not refuse, and they then promised to give me a feast " makan sejuk dinpin." I spent the evening in the pangga talking with the chiefs. They agree in all that the Peuinjauh Dyaks say as to the origin of the tribe. One Aj-ang was the oiiginal settler nt Sikong, but, where he came from they cannot say. Stamod was bis descendant and went first to Gumbang where he lived some years One half of his followers went to Peniujauh and the other to Si Mobah, the Sauhs descend from the Si Mobah branch. The Sentah, Sempi'o, Stang and Sign Dyaks came also from Sikong with Stamod but separated at Gumbang. A portion of the Tringus tribe are according to the Jaguis from Goun, the remainder also from Sikong. The next morning I walked round the village with the Orang Kaya, the houses have nearly all been lately re-built, and the village consequently presented a clean nnd fresh Appearance. The Jaguis are well off in pigs and fowls, fruit-trees were abundant, and I was informed that the rice crop had been fully up to the average. The water which sup- plies the upper tompok is a great distancefrom the village,, the hill having to be descended some 300 steps before the panchur is arrived at ; it necessitates a long descent and ascent for the unfortunate Tvomen and girls, who, as in all Dyak villages are the carriers of wood and water. The supply of water too at the panchur is not great and I fancy in dry weather would soon run short. I felt for these unfortunate Dyak women and girls as they toiled up the steep ascent from the panchur, groaning under the weight of the lengths of bamboo filled with water which they were carrying to the village, and I was not surprised to learn that the Dyak women are short-lived and the Jaguis particularly so. Many of the women I am told run away, and seek husbands amongst the Malays, Chinese and.Boyans in the neighbourhood. A case of the kind came under my notice while I was at Jagui, one of the relations of the Orang Kaya had run off with a Boyan from Tegorn, and though brought back had again eloped. The Jagui Dyaks burn their dead, and have two peninus one at the head tompok and one at Simatang. The Sauh village of Aup being in the neighbourhood of Jagui, I started this morn- ing to visit it. The path a mere jungle trace had nothing novel about it, the same dreary, monotonous journey through forest and jungle necessitating the ascending and desceading the Luluk, Tutah, and Motan hills with part of Scalup. I estimate the dis- tance at about two hour's walk from Jagui, Aup is the last of the Sauh villages, and if 1 am not mistaken is situated on Gunong The Aup village Scalup. It is' small, abominably dirty, and the houses are in a dilapi- and tribe of Dy- dated, racketty condition. aks. In 1873 Aup paid revenue on 3 lawangs which at §3 ... $24- The head house with o heads looked so insecure and uninviting that I refused to enter it, and halted in the house of Orang Kaya Bicu who was from home as were most of the inhabitants. Pigs and fowls were apparently scarce, and I had even difficulty in procuring cocoa-nuts. I had hoped to find guides in this village to lead me to Gunong Si Tulang where hones had been formerly found, hence the name, but, after passing' Posin mountain, I gave up the attempt as it was late. I noticed that the ground had been worked by Chinese for gold. I returned to Jagui by another track, and emerged on our path of yesterday not fur from the pangkalan. In the evening our party mustered at the Orang Kaya's house, where I found assem- bled the whole of the head.-men, while the building itself was crammed with Dyaks. After the head-men had as they call it "minta adat" from me which consisted in my giving them a couple of bottles of gin and the like number of packets of Chinese tobacco, and a dozen yards of white drill cloth, the feast commenced. After the gin had been mixed with water it was poured into a basin, and with the tobacco which had been divided 35 into small portions passed round, beginning with the elders and ending with the hoys. A fowl was then brought in and handed to the Orang Kaya, who waved it over and around my head, while he made a short speech in which he wished the Rajah, the Datu, myself, the Dyalts, the country, and in fact evei'y body connected with us, luck and prosperity. After this three of the elders clothed in long white cabayas or robes commenced dancing, a slow stalely almost comical measure, the arms extended, and the feet keeping time to the slow strains of the music, the toes beinw turned inwards and outwards without ceasing. A little arrack of the Nopnlm was then poured into a cup, and every one present was touched with a drop or two of it. A small portion of boiled fowl was then givea to every one, the object of all this being to bring luck on the recipients, as whoever had been touched with the arrack or had partaken of the boiled fowl was supposed to be secured from sickness. The Orang Kaya assured me that without the distribution of the hoiled fowl, it would have been impossible for him to have allowed the gongs to be beaten, even killing three pigs, he added, would not have sufficed without this rite. All this time the gongs were beaten freely and furiously, the din was tremendous, and the heat stifling. Boiled rice and something- which looked like stewed fish, but, emitted a powerful odour were then produced, and the elders sat down to eat while I adjourned to the head-house. I returned later in the evening only to find the dancing and gong beating continuing furiously. The former was but an imitation of the Malay dance, and I was giad when I retired towards the small hours to my mat in the pangga, feeling after what I had gone through as if the top of my head was coming off. The place where I was seated had been covered with fine mats, while the bamboo walls of the building were decorated with cloths of different colours, amongst which I recognized some of the white cloth I had given the Orang Kaya. Early in the morning of the 6th August I went through the village with the Orang Kayn, who, took me to the extreme point of the hill from whence there was a fine view of the Brunai, Krah, and Si mountains. He explained to me the matter in dispute between the Jaguis and Teberos, asking me to assist him in Sarawak in getting the land question set- tled. We then went to his house where he produced a small basin of water in which we washed our hands together, while he pronounced some sort of prayer or incantatiou which -was afterwards explained to me to mean that he wished me good luck on my journey,, while I on my part promised to re-visit his village when an opportunity offered. I was much pleased with this man and his tribe who were hospitality itself. Some of the Dyaks were physically fine fellows and many of them great dandies in dress. I now turned my steps to the landing-place at Sungie Tuppong, and some two or three hours poling with a Dyak crew down this stream to its junction with the Sarawak river, and about as long an ascent of the main stream brought us to Pangkalan Kro- kong where I had left my boat. Our journey had been greatly delayed by heavy rain which drenched us to the skin, and also by the utter ignorance of the Jagui crew of ; anything connected with boats or boating in any shape. These Dyal;3 live so far inland j that they have become veritable hill-men, differing in this respect from the Krokongs who are fair boatmen. t "VVe coutinued our course up the. Sarawak river, our progress slow from the shallow- j ness of the water which was clear as crystal. We passed Sungie Serikin and Lobok . Pilin and shortly afterwards Rheum Panjang. On the right bank was formerly the old Chinese road from Bau to Gumbang, and thence to Sambas ; it was along this road that I the misernble Celestials were followed by the Sarebas and Saknran Dyaks when they fled the Sarawak territory after destroying the capital. We halted for the night a little j above Sungei Tuba. 36 CHAPTER IV. The village and Dyaks of Gumbang — Gumbang village and its dosfcr action by the Chiuese. insur- gents in 1857— Murung, the Orang Kaya of Gumbang — Siilin — Origin of the Gumbang Dyaks. The village and Dyaks of Tringus— Names of the different parts of a Land Dyak house— Dreps of the women of the Dyak tribe of Tringus— Origin of the Tringus Dyaks— Murder of Haji Nain in 1871 by the Tringus Dyaks — Source of the Sarawak river — The village of Tringus Matan — Cross the Sarawak boundary into !Ned:-Iud: territory — Source of the Sambas river — Arrive at the Dyak village of Si Baddat. Ai daylight next morning we continued poliug our -way up the Sarawak river, but from tlie shallowness of the water we found this hard work, we therefore halted for a short time at Karaugan Kaladi. It was at this spot that the Chinese insurgents in 1857, when flying before the Sakarrau and Sai-ebas Dyaks, were so fearfully cut up, and to this day the Malay refuses to bring up his boat here for the night, fearing he says the ghosts which :are reported to haunt the place. The slaughter of these unfortunate Chinese must have been terrific, for the river at the, time was swollen by rain, and there being no bridge, rotans were thrown across the stream and secureil to trees on both banks. Over this, men, women and children swung, themselves as they best could, while Malays and Dyaks, hang- ing on the rear, dashed in whenever they saw a chance, slaughtering all indiscriminately. An hour's poliug, and we passed Sungei Pedowu on the left, and Sungei Kasong a little further up on our right hand, and t^vo hours' poliug above this and we arrived at Paugka- ■ Ian Sibulu (bamboo) at the junction of two streams, — the Sibulu which flows from the northward, and the main streana of the Sarawak river which comes in from the westward from Tringgus. Here the Gumbang Dyaks land, who call the place Pankalan Gumbang. Through ignorance ray Malay guide now led me into a series of difficulties. Not having visited Gumbang for many years, he was not aware that some Chinese had settled n little further up the main stream) on the right hand, and that the Dyaks instead of using the old landing-place had connected their village with the Pangkalau made by the Chinese, abandoning the former road. These Chinese are contractors for the Borneo Co. who have just commenced opening ground at Gading, a short distance inland from Sibula. tGading is but an hour's walk from Tegora, where the Borneo Co. have a large establish- ment, and the Dj^aks therefore in connecting their village with Sibulu virtually united it with Gading and Tegora. Landing at Pangkalau Gumbang, where I found two Chinese had erected huts, and were cultivating gardens and trading with Dyaks, I commenced my march for Gumbang, having first dismissed my boat and crew, as henceforward my journey was to be carried out on foot. For an hour or two we were wandering over the iace of the country trying to find Gumbang. The road was completely overgro-nn and we had the greatest difficulty in keeping the trail, I cau call it nothing else. The batangs were rotten, and almost -entirely lost in long, thick grass, — the bridges over the streams were crossed in danger, few being to be depended on. We had often to cross and re-cross the Sibulu stream by descending and ascending the banks and wading through the water, as the bridges had •entirely disappeared. We now came to Gunong Api, on which hill the village is built, and I was glad to see some gardens of sugar-cane, kiladi, krebang, Ac, while in the flat country through which we had passed the Sago palm appeared pretty abundant, and the whole hill seemed one vast ^rove of fruit-trees. Tired, dirty and hungry, we at length reached the village, but, only to find it almost deserted, most of the inhabitants, including the Orang Kaya, being absent ou their farming grounds. There was literally txo one to send for my kit and stores, which had been left at a Chinaman's 37 liut at the Pangknliui, for after despatcliiug" the stray men and boy.s who were iu the village to seek the Orang Kaya, Giiinbang remniued in possession of women only. Our arrival being perfectly unexpected no one was to blame, and there was nothing for it but to wait patiently "till the Orang Kaya returned, and collected sufficient Dyaks to- act as porters for my luggag-e. This did not happen till dark, by which time rain had set in in torrents, rendering it utterly impossible for people to move. There was tJierefore no alternative but to wait till daylight, and get through the night as I best could without food or drink. The Dj^aks did all they could to alleviate our coudition, which amounted to little, and it was not pleasant to learn that had we proceeded to the new landiui; place, and from thence ascended to Gnmbang, we should have e.tpcrienced no difficulty iu pro- curing assistance, as the tribe were farming ground on that side of the mountain. After swallowing some boiled rice and drinking freely of cocoanut water with a dash of the "ciatur"' in it, I threw myself on my mat for my night's rest. " Qui dort dine," says the Prench proverb, in my case it proved itself remarkably true, and thanks to being thoroughly tired out, F slept so soundly that the sun was well up in the heavens before I awoke on the following morning. The Dyaks were late in returning with my kit, the excuse being the state of the road,, in tlie meantime I had bathed and looked around me. The village of Gumbang is situa- Tbe village ami ted on the summit of Gunong Api, a hill about 1,000 feet high, and Dyaks of 'Giuh- is erected on the frontier, part of it being in Sarawak, and part in '^'^"S- Sambas tei-ritory. The flow of water is in both dirictions; the rivulets rise in clefts of the mountain and run their respective courses between the houses iu opposite streams. I can find no satisfactory explanation for the name Gunong Api. The Dyaks say they call it thus, as their ancestors iu ages past were two Dyaks,. male and female, the former Gusik, the latter Gurik by name ; moreover the man was de.«cended from, or had his origin in fire, "adapun yanjj laid itu asalnia deripada api." The village of Gumbang has been rebuilt and moved three times. It was first burnt down by the Chinese insm-gents and reconstructed by the Dyalrain in 1871 by nue in the name of the Queen, saying, that the Raj. of Sarawak was the Tringus Dy- played out and the white men who had formerly held sway in the "■ country, had been replaced by servants of the Rajah Queen, who had sent him on this errand. The Orang Kaya having doubts in his mind as to the truth of the Haji's story, replied, that he did not refuse to pay his revenue, but, it being- the middle of the year he was short of paddy, and would consult the Datu in Sarawak. In the meantime the Haji claimed $2 per head from the village, threatening if he was not paid he would attach the property of the Dyaks. Some $20 were thus collected, which after a dispute was returned. The Haji now left the village ostensibly for Pangkalau Sibulo, -Baying he was going to Sarawak to complain, whither the Orang Kaya was to follow him 42 next day. He (the Haji) was followed by three Tnugua Dyaka, Tajmi, Pu Kunyia, and Pa Bumjul, but instead of taking the road to Sarawak struck off for Sidin in the Dutch territory — this was the last that was heard of him. It seems he was attacked and killed by the Dyaks who followed him, who, when they were arrested on suspicion, Tapoi con- fessed that he was ])resent when the Plaji met his end, but, said he did not actually commit the murder. The other Dyaks threw the blame on Tapoi, who escaped justice by committino; suicide in prison. The Haji it appears was cut down by the Dyaks in the jungle, and the body concealed b}' felling trees over it, the remains were afterwards found in this position. At the trial which was held at Kuching in August 1871, the two -Dyaka were 'found, guilty and e-xecute'd, and the Orang Kaya fined 2 piculs of gongs for not reporting the' murder. The Dyaks tell me that Haji Nain, who had been living some time in the Tringus village had been intriguing with the wives of the Dyaks who followed him. He had criminal intercourse with the wife of Tapoi, but, did not succeed with the others, I mention this case of Haji Nain's, as it illustrates the method of proceeding adopted by the Malays in their acts of oppression and swindling among the unfortunate Dyaks, The Dj'aks of the western branch of the Sarawak river manufacture attaps or leaf coverings for houses, not only tor their own use, but, also for sale, when in demand. This applies particularly to the Serambos, who dispose of large quantities to the Chinese, The Serambos make their attaps of the leaves of the rerang, sago and uipa palms, as do also the Bomboks, but on a much smaller scale. The Singhi, Jagni, Grogo, Griimbang, Kro- kong and Tringus use the sago palm. We commenced our marcli from Tringus to Matan ou a wet and damp morning, in fact deferred our departure till the sun had risen and dispelled the mist which enveloped everything. Our road ran along the- S'Bri moLintai:i, and we had the Si Bungo range - 3,000 feet high on our left. About half au hour's walking and we came to the Sarawak river, here called Pedde or Si Pedde, a mere brawling mountain stream, with its waters pouring Source of the Q^.g^. g^ -water-fall some 80 or 40 feet high. It rises in Guuong Seraung Sarawak nver. ^^j creeps out between it and Si Bungo. The Dyaks tell me the Sara- wak river has three sources — the Pedde which rises in Si Bungo, the Peang which rises in S'Bri, and another source also called Pedde' rising in Seraung, The march grew very fatiguing, about half way. it ran almost perpendicularly up the face ot the mountain, two places, Kaliel Bobut and Kallal Niol especially, enjoyed a very bad. reputation even among the Dyaks. They were simply pieces of wood fastened like ladders up the face of the mountain, and a fal.se .step might have been destruction. Altogether I experienced a great deal of difficulty in gettiuar over the ground diu-ing this portion of my journi-v, and I was very glad when we emerged on a clearing in the jungle, on a small hill, in the centre of which stood tiie village of Tringus Matan, consisting only of a long Dyak house of 12 romins or doors all under one roof, with a large verandah in front common to all. The situation of this little village is very picturesque, standing as it does on a clearing in the midst of a forest of old jungle, and surrounded by the Si Bungo The village of range 3,000 feet in height on one side, and bv the S' Bri and Seraung Tnngus Matan, mountains (the latter 2,650 feet high) on the other, Matan has only been built two years, and there are no fruit-trees. The village was formerly erected on & small hill to the southward called Tendu or Tundu, the jungle has been felled for farms and there is every prospect of the present site being a permanent one. The people seemed in good health, and had no complaints to bring before my notice, here for the first time I noticed wen or goitre, of which there were two or three cases. At 7 a, m, on the morning of the 12th August I started for Si Baddat in Ned:-Ind: territory, my party consisting of my Abang, boy, and cooly and nine Tringua Dyaks. 43 The Orang Kaya of Tringus was to have accompanied me, but pleaded ill health' at the last momeat. This man had never ceased his ctforta to dissuade me from proceeding, repeatedly urging the difficult nature of the country to be traversed, and feeling he was freeing himself I imagine, from the respouaibility which might attach to him if he followed me. Skirting Mungo Kruah, from a point of which we had a fine view of Gunongs S'Bri and Si Tango, on the latter of which the Trebong Dyaks have extensive clearings,, and the former of which, though covered with old jungle is not planted, the soil being poor and sterile (kerangas), we opened further on a landscape which emliraced the Si Tummoand Murung mountains, the latter appearing to be part of the former. Descending Kruah we skirted Mungo Si Tuban, a low hill with a pointed top, descending to the foot of which we crossed the Nyap stream, which rises in Seraung and falls into the Powan, a tributary of the Sambas river. The water now flowing entirely to the westward and draining towards Sambas, I Cros3 the Sa- inferred I had crossed the Sarawak frontier, though nccording to Dutch i-awak boundary authorities I was still well within Sarawak limits. '* According to these into Ned:-Ind: authorities the Sambas boundaries are from Cape Datu along the chain ierntory. q£ mountains to which they give the name of the Krimbang range, (and to which they say the Goebang, Rajah, Djangui and Koemei peaks belong) to Gunong Bajang Mioet.f We now found ourselves on Mungo ^Turmun, and hereabouts fell in with the Babii, a small mountain stream which rises in Seraung and falls into the Powan. Struggling over some level ground at the foot of Seraung, roiuid which mountain our truck led us, we came on a mountain torrent, running in a strong broad stream, which the DyaUs informed me was Powan, one of the main sources of the Sam- bas river. According to them the Powan rises in Seraung and separates in two chabangs or branches, which rejoin, forming the river, wiiich falls into Source of the ^.jjg ^^^ j^^ Paniaufikat. The Powan is known by this name from its source till it reachs Gunonij Senuju, where it is called the Senuju. Branching off here in two streams, one of which runs through a trusan or passage (passa- ble for boats of two koyans burden), five hours' pulling through which brings one from, the Senuju into what is called the Saml)as branch. The Senuju and Sambas branches having continued their respective courses westerl}', unite at a place called Simpang Si Batu, and from hence the river continues its course again to the sea under its original name of Powau. The Dutch say the Sambas river rises in the Pandan mountains on the borders of Landak and flows first throu^h the Lara district. Near Batoe-Oedjona (sic) the river unites itself with a tributary (the Powan I suppose) which rises more to the eastward on the frontier of Landak, and in some maps is called Simpang S am uub, after which it runs through the Ledo district where it is joined by a small stream of the same name, in the neighbourhood of which is Loemar. The SambaH river having received the waters of the Sangouw and two small streams, joins, near Soekalalang, the Kiri river, which flows to it from Gunong Rajah on the borders of Sarawak. Thus far the general direction of * Yeth. Borneo'3 Weater-Aideeling, Vol. 1, Chap. IV. Page 89. ' t Goebang ia Gumbaug. Bajah is Gunong Bajah or Merajah, inhabited I believe by the Selacco Dyaks. Djangui is Jagui, and Koemie is- evidently Kumbe or Sidin between Gumbang and NeuC. Bajang Mioet is' Bajang Neut west of Gunong Sinjang. Temminck quotes a Government decree of the year 184(i which fixes the boundaiy of Sambas in this direction ; '• From the Pangi mountain, the high country of Tanjoug Datu over the summits of the mountaiua Djangui ( ? Jagui) and Gabang (? Gumbang) to the mountain Bajang called also Krim- bang Baratjeh, and Panjeh, and Sanjang (Sinjang.)" Bajang called Bajang Nout, and Sinjang, ai-e distinct monntaina ; Krimbang in Dutch Maps is the najUQ given to the Tvhole range of mountains. Temminck appears to have confused the names in his Geography. See Temininck, Coup D'Oeil General anr lea Possessions Neerlandaiaea dan I'Inde Ar- chipolagique; Vol- ii. Page 151. .•!;'■ - ■ 44 the SAinbaB la ■northward, but, Lere it bends southwest ami follows this coui'se to the sen. '-A little' lower down there is a naturni cannl or ti'nsim, which joins the rivei' with one of its branches ciiUeii the lesser Sambas river, and which a<»aiu re-tuiites with the main stream three or four hours froui its mouth. Previously, however, it. receives ajiain from its northern side, several small streams such, as the Boemi and Bulai'i.just as the lesser Sambas, which after uiiitin<; with its two upper branches joins itself with some others like the Semanis, before it is poured out atrain to the southward in the main river. Onthe Semauis are the Chiuess Settlements of Scnuuiis and Sebawi. * I now resume the account of my jo\irney. It is difficult to describe the character of our march. -Junj-le surrounded us on ever}' side, but', I occasionally caught glimpses of the most'^beautiful scenery, it was however Ji continued tramp^ affording no leisure to cmtemulate what I should really have enjoyed. Rain fell all day (it is always raining in these districta), encouraaing the leeches to attack us, and my legs soon fell victims to their murderous onslaughts. Dirty, tired, bleeding from leech bites, silent, sulky and morose, Ave continued the even tenor of our way, broken only v/hen some one of the party staggered, or tumbled over the broken road, or when 1 called for a hurried halt to ask where we were, and to jot down my notes, on which occasion advantage Avas taken by one of ray followers to scratch the leeches from my legs. In this condition we commenced the ascent of Gnnong Si Tuuimo. Hitherto our road had been over hills of moderate altitude, the trace lying over an abandoned DyaU track with rotten bridges and batangs, and long grass. We had now to settle down to surmount one of the highest mountains I had yet ascended. We first passed through old jungle where the path was steep, and from the broken nature of the ground even dangerous. One place in particular, regarding which the Tringus Dyaks had warned me before starting and called Suban Gundo, cer- tainly tried my activity and climbing powers to the utmost. We climbed the sheer face of the mountain by our hands and knees, holdinji on l)y the stones, roots of trees, and branches of shrubs and saplings, the pleasure of all this being heightened by the know- ledge that a backward fall would hurry one over a semi-precipice down the face of tin: mountain. Some three hours of this kind of work in a torrent of rain, and we halted for half an hour for a hurried meal, when I took the opportunity of changing my clothes, which rain, mutl and wear had so acted on that I had nearly no covering left. We had not succeeded in reaching the smnmit of the mountain, and at this point my Malay Abang und boy began to show signs of distress, one half the Dyaks had out-mnrch- ed us, and the remainder would' have followed had I not restrained them. As for myself I still held out, l)ut the monotony of the march was very tiring, and the leeches were a sad pest. AVe now came to some felled guttah "trees belonging to the Tringus Dyaks, Avho work these jungles as far as Suban Gundo, they belong how- ever to the Si Baddats, who explore the other portion. After about half an hour's climbing we came to a place called Kekkat Sebirin, and beyond this Qoun Russ, the climbing of both these places Avas fearful Avork, and the Orang Kaya of Tringus had predicted that I should not surmount them, but Ave did, and were now so to say on the summit of Si Tummo, though there was a further climb to a spot called Kiikiit Tetang. We Avere AvalkiiJg on the summit of the mountain, on a ridwe, the sides sloping down almost perpendicularly on either hand, Avith a track about five feet wide to travel over — the mountain might almost be said to have no top. I can oilly com- pare the summit to a book placed on its front edge, slightly opened, while I Avalked oa-cv that portion of the volume Avhere one reads the title. The back or the book repre- sents our path, and on either hand Avere almost sheer precipices. This was particularly the case at Kukut Tetanij, where for perhaps 20 or 30 feet the road av«s not four feet wide — with on either side an abrupt descent. Here, 1 began a gradual descent along a narrow trace facing the side of the mountain, where I had the greatest difficulty in keeping my footing. The Malays were far in the rear, and the Dyaks had been sent on to prepare the Si Baddats for my advent, and my sole companion was Orang Kaya Murung of Gumbang. Together Ave ascended Aten Stimn, Avhich was so steep that no sooner were we on the summit than we had again to descend. Next followed Aten Spora, which was ascended and descended in the same way, and we noAV travelled over what * Vetli— Boraeo's Weetor-Afdoeliug, Vol : I Chap. 17. Page 90. - 45 the Dyaks called level ground, but proved Dothiuf;; more than an abandoned path with rotten batangs, bamboo bridges, Sec, buried in grass, amongst which, ns it was now growing dark, 1 managed to bruise my person very considerably. We now reached the foot of Gunong Pugi or Puggi. So fur, the Orang Kaya had helped me and did what he could to smooth the difficulties, but it now became so dark that I refused point blank to proceed any further, although assured by my companion that the village was close to us. Out of this dilemma, we were brought by Dyaks appearing with torches, who carried us iu tri- ijraph to the head-house, whilst others proceeded to collect the rest of our party. I now found myself at the village of Si Baddat, on a spur of Gunong Kedda called Jara. I was glad to find the shelter in the pangga from the heavy rain now fulling, ,\.mvo afc the *his building' however was small, and we were most inconveniently village of Si Bad- crowded, my party of thirteen having to find accomodation in addition to f'^*'- to the former occupants. In the absence of the Orang Kaya at his farm, I was hospitably received by an olJ, half-witted Dyak named Gnsa, who had formerly held the Orang Kayaship, but, had resigned his functions in favor of the present holder of the appointment, Susup. In return for tobacco I had no trouble in procuring fowls and rice, and after a hurried meal the whole party was soon asleep, leaving Murung still talking to the ex-Orang Kaya Gasa, in whom he had found an old friend. At mid- night I was woke up by a series of most diabolical yells, which brought me to my feet with a start, my first impression being that the two Orang Kayas had been quarelling, and Murung was ill-treating his friend. It turned out that these tAVo chiefs, instead of going to bed, sat up drinking arrack and talking over former times and events, this Avas followed by singing songs according to custom, one against the other, illustrative of Dyak love and war. These songs and the drink had so excited the little intellect left in Gasa, that he expressed his appreciation of his friend and his happiness iu general by continued yelling, and our united efforts could not cause him to desist, notwithstanding that Murung did all he could to soothe and pacify his friend. We now communicated Avith Gasa's wife, who sent his little daughter "to bring papa home", but, papa preferred yell- ing on the steps of the pangg>i,and finally the wife herself appeared and added the cackle and jabber of her tongue to the general din and confusion. Losing my temper I pushed Murung and his friend . head over heels out of the pangga, when the latter fell on the verandah of the villasje houses, and the last I heard of this old fool was a noisy and angry altercation blended with the singing of songs in the Orang Kaya's house. The following are the names of the Dyak tribes visited, with the positions of their villages: — ^ Serambo, Peninjauh and Bombok on Guuong Moan. Singhi on Gunong Tingga. Grogo on Sungei Suba. Snba near the Sarawak river (left bank). Krokong on Gunong Prasun. ■ . Jagui on Gunong Jagui. ■ Aup ,on Gunong Scalup. Gumbaug on Gunong Api. Tringua on ^ Gunfng Tnmpiug. 46 <:HArTi:K a' The TJUiipie :tuak3.*^ " ' * ^^^ heard in Sarawak, that poison and its secret and deadly properties ■ were not unknown, and were made use of both by Malays and Dyaks in these countries. We Avere discussing Annum the chief of the Sikongs and his supposed evil propensities, regarding all of which I expressed my disbelief and rated them as fabri- cations. The Orang Kaya replied that some Landak Dyaks once sold him what they said was poison. It was a powder white in colour, and he laid it by for nearly a year not knowing what to do with it. Having a violent (p.arrel with a Dyak enemy who had 50 threatened td till him, lie tniised Some of" the powder in -bis 'enemy's chalk which Ire used , with hiB siri,.'*''and do you know, tu an," said this solemn savage to rae, "lie was taken ill, ' and in four days he was dead." It is but fair to add that the Orang Kaya at once threw away the poison, it was not Dyak adat he said to kill an enemy in this manner, besides having a wife and children he dreaded keeping it in his possession. This story was told so naturally and coolly — with such a grave and earnest countenance tliat I do not hesitate to believe it. "We now entered on another phase of Dyak life. I was a,ssured by the Orang Ka)'a that when he visited the Meribun and Tincang or Jincang Dyaks he Cannibalism a- found them to be cannibals. These Dyaks live on the Batang Munki- bun Ind Tincang or 7^"?? "^ar Muntong and Muntu, not far from the head-waters of the Jincang Djaks." iSadoug river, near Senankan Knjan. The Sekyam is descended as far as Tanjong Priu, whence you ascend Sungei Meribun where these monsters are to be met Tvith. When in their village, the Orang Kaya himself saw them eating a body. The custom is to take only the heads ofenpmies, but, when an individual of the •tribe dies, the body is sold and even women and children partake of the flesh. The man in question was not old, and his corpse was exchanged for a tajow, the Dyaks seeming to relish most the soles of the feet, and palms of the hands. These Dyaks who are credited with making and using poisons, treated him well while he was in their village, they are great cowards and ten of these Dyaks will run from one of another tribe. The Malay Abang confirming this story, said that when he was collecting revenue at Muntong and Muntu, which belong to Sarawak, the party he was with were always on their guard against the Meribun and Tincang -Dyaks. and at night erected fences studded with ranjow's as a protection against these brutes. Malays and others who frequented these Dyak villages were well received, and their presence was in fact sought after. Draham my Malay cooly said he had seen with his own eyes palms of hands and soles of feet oyer the fire-place when he was in one of their villages. I have made some enquiries into the truth of the above statement, and I am assured by the Resident of Sadong that they are untrue. " "What- ever may have been the propensities of these Dyaks," says he, " there is no foundation in the report that they now indulge in this inhuman practice." Abang Pandak, pembakal of the Sultan of Sangouw, told me when I met him in Sarawak, that the story was a fabrication, but ills denial carried no conviction, as it appeared made from motives of contradiction, and in defence of the Raj under which he served, he confessed to having heard the stories, but had never visited the Dyaks in question. I have since learnt from Mr. Crocker the Resident of Sarawak, that when he was on a journey from the head-waters of the Sadong to Silanteh, he put up one night at a Dyak house. Entering into conversation with the inmates, he discovered an old Malau Dyak from the Kapuas district. Tliis man, called Jamon, who had led a roving life, told him that the Mualangs of Jincang, who inhabit the head-waters of the Kapuas river, in the vicinity of the Sekyam are or were cannibals. Jamon went on a head-hunting expedition against these Jincangs and killed four of them, losing two of his friends. The Jincangs ate his friends, leaving only their entrails. These Dyaks have not only given up this practice, but are so ashamed of it. that the mere mention of the former custom is a grave offence. * * " In the district of Sangau, extending several days in every direction, there are three tribes of " Dyaka numbering 500 lawangs and probably 3,000 aouli. Two of these tribes are several days in the " interior on the banks of the Skiam. , One of these, the Jangkang, is addicted to the horrible practice " of canuihaliBm. Except this and a single tribe on the EaHtern coast we have not heard of any other " portion of the people who eat human flesh. That the practice prevails to no inconsiderable extent " among this tribe there is no longer in our minds the shadow of a doubt. One man -with whom we con- '•■ versed had seen them making their meal on the human frame. They themselves confess it with boasting " and give as a reason for the horrid custom that it makes them courageous. How could we be brave, " said one man, if we had never tasted human flesh. They do not eat indiscriminately all parts of the '■■ body, but with a most horrid kind of Epicurism, feast with the greatest relish upon the tongue, brain, " and muscles of the leg. The men of this tribe file down their front teeth to a point like the teeth of " a saw. This, while it may fit for the indulgence of their favorite propensity, adds not a little to the '' ferocious appearance of these man-eaters. The practice of cutting off heads is also their confession " and boast. They seem to consider it their greatest glory. An old man of great muscular strength *' drew his sword and with an exulting smile declared that with it he had decapitated twelve men 51 On the morning of the 14th August I was on my way to Punduan. Passing through the Tillage of Si Baddat we emerged on one of the southern slopes of Kedd6, and from, here I obtained a magnificent view of a number of mountains stretching away to the west- ward and southward. Gxmong Siujang was in front of me, and then west and south the Krun, Jojong, Prang, Marung, Munja, Minjang, and S' Baba mountains, while far to the westward was Neut or Bajang Neut. Last year during the north-east monsoon, an immense land-slip took place on Gunoug Prang or Perang, burying forty five Dyaks of the Tawang tribe Laiid-ghpouGu- jj, the debris. Even at the great distance at which I stood, I could dis- noDg laiig. tinctly perceive that the whole face of the mountain had disappeared. It seems there were two rolls, the first about 1 a. m., and the last tit 5 a. m., the first being- perhaps less violent than the second. At Punduan the ground shook, aud regularly quaked with the reverberation of the crash of the falling earth. The stream of the Sekyam was encumbered with trees, and the fish died out. The river which had hitherto been deep, with large boulders scattered over its bed, having pools between them, now became so shallow that the boulders were no longer visible, and the whole stream is full of a fine black sand, mixed with white particles, which covers everything. Through this landslip anti- mony ore in large quantities was exposed on the mountain, and according to the Dyaks is nearly pure, free from limestone, and of fine quality. Report says the ore lies in seami, and before it could be worked an immense overhanging mass of earth and trees would have to be removed. Sepi, a Serambo Dyalc who is living here is said to have visited Prang, and Been the ore, which he says is a good as any in Upper Sarawak. This Dyak should know what good ore is, as he was born in the antimony districts, has long worked for the Borneo Co. at B.U6U, and has frequented their workings for years. The Sekyam. river is navigable for boats of one koyan burden as far as Prang. An hour's walk from the village brought us to the Batun stream, which rises in EIedd6 and falls into the Bannun which latter has its source in Si Tummo, falling into the Sekyam. We next came to the Bannun, crossing which two or three times, we finally waded.up its bed to a considerable distance, and then halted just above i\. tanjong or point, round which the Bannun effects its junction with the Sekyam. The road now followed the left bank of the Sekyam, here broad but shallow, its bank and bed covered with fine sand, amongst some of the particles of which I thought I could trace antimony. Crossing the river, our path for a short time ran through scrub jungle, emerging from which w« found ourselves at the Sikong village of Punduan. Punduan, apalaman* or temporary village of the Sikong tribe, consists of 12 lawangb and is under Orang Kaya Appir. The houses are small and dirty, and Pdlamnn Pun- the inhabitants wretched beings who suffer as do some of the Tringus, Dy'ks! ' * ' °°^ ^^ Baddats, Si Panjangs and Goons, from g6itre, korap (ring-worm) ami from a disease of the legs called " puccong " by the Malays, and " Bupach" by the Dyaks, and which appears to be a form of leprosy. According to the Orang Kaya here, Punduan paid revenue to Sangouw on 12 lawangs, the rate being 1^ Sarawak passus. This is at variance with what I was told by Abang Pandak, who said the village was taxed at 1 gantang of iron equal to 1 real per lawang. Tobacco i»i planted by the Sikongs, in fact more or less throughout the district. It is grown amongst the stumps of the bamboos, after the land has been cleared and burnt for paddy farms.,. in this situation it is said to flourish. Domestic bees are kept by the Sikongs and Si * ' ,' When we eipresBed our abhorrence of the practice and our hope that in fntnre they would live in /peace with each other, another old man said, ' but if we have a debt we must discharge it.' Thus when / one head is cut o£E it creates a debt which, in the opinion of the parties concerned, must not be suffered ^' to remain uncancelled ; but the cancelling creates a fresh demand for blood. — Journal of a tour oii, ' the Kapuag tJi 1840. — Journal of the Indian Archipelago, vol. 1 New Series, No. 1, page, 104-05. * A '■ palaman " is a temporary village or settlement which sometimeB as in the present instance, becomes permament. Tebut at Serin, Kuap at Suntah, and Baru at Sukar, are cases in point, as ihey were originally only temporary hamlets, but, are now regular villages though paying revenue witk the tribe. 52 Panjangs, biit, not by the Si Buddai or Goons, and the 8ikou«p5 aud Gooiis build no boii^>t» nrc poor boatmen, contrasting badly in this respect with the Si Panjangs and Surohs. The Datch author Vcth says that the Sekyani river rises in Bajang Mioet,* (called Neut by the Dyaks). On the other baud, the Sikongs told me it rose s-kTamHvei ^" Guiiong Jojong, flows to the eastward of Praug. and bending round washes the northern foot of Sinjang. At Punduan I was met by Banggo, the younger brother of the Orang Kaya of Si Paujcng, who, had been deputed to invite me to visit this tribe. From Si Baddat I had fsent to the Orang Kaya asking him to despatch a boat to Punduan to convey me on my return from Sikong to Si Panjang, as I contemplated proceeding thence to Goon, en route to Tabiah. Banggo reported a boat in readiness, but, on my accepting the Oraug Kaya's invitation, the crew at once returned to collect the tribe, and prepare a feast, while Banggo Ticcompanied me to Bikong. At night the house where 1 was staying was filled with Dyaks, who eventually grew very noisy, and beat gongs through the whole night, making sleep impossible. I talked with the headmen "whose chief grievance was the Sarah. Si- kong appears to be visited once in the year by a Dutch official, who seems unpopular, and the complaint against whom appears to be that he kept the people at a distance, commu- nicating only with them through the Orang Kayas, in the presence of the Malay A.bangs, who with their followers numbered from 200 to 300 souls. Yet, after all the Dutch were %iot BO much blamed as the Malays, to whom the Dyaks attribute all their troubles. Annum the Orang Kaya of Sikong was spoken of by his own people as an unscrupulous man, who was evidently much feared. He was accused among other crimes of appropria- ting the goods of any stranger who might be staying in his village. His power was kept somewhat in check by the other Orang Kayas, and I was assured of being well received, and heartily welcomed by Annum and the Sikongs, who would be delighted to meet a Sarawak European for the first time in their village. It was late on the morning of the 15th August when we started from Punduan. My followers consisted of my two Malays, the Orang KayaB of Punduan, Si Baddat, and Gunibang, Banggo of Si Panjang, and a few Sikong Dyaks to carry the kit. The march was a most fatiguing one, and tried my walking powers to their very utmost. The path (if such even it can be called) was carried along the sloping sides of a number of small hills, entailing occasional scrambling, and clinging to shrubs and roots of trees, causing 31 severe strain on the legs. "We were delayed by disputes, and petty wrangling amongst the chiefs as to which Wvas the best, or the nearest road y»kB of RikoDg. Qj.^jjg Kaj&s Pa Jigi and Pa Budan. There was fomerly another ohief now dead, whose house I occupied, and who enjoyed the title of Tamangang prefixed * Veth. Borneo's "Wester-Afdeeling Vol. I Page 44. According to tlie Dutch authority above, Mioet or Neut is on the borders of Sambas, between fj/tratoah and Landah, thus bringing the Sarawak boundary as far as Neut which is to the Bouth-weat of Sinjang. 53 to his name Mauj^ko Buiul. Sikoiig may bo .said to be divided into three so-called parties. Annum represents Landak, his ancestors being supposed t^ have come from that country. The late Mangko Bumi represented Sambas for the same reason. Orang Kaya Pa Jigi's ancestors having come from Tabiah, he is looked on as the representative of Sarawak. The villag'^ is built on a shoulder of the Siiijaiio- mountain, about one third of the way up, and is as dirty as any Land Dyak village; liltli and refuse are profusely scattered over the place, pigs abound under all the houses, which as at Si Baddat are all separate. If a round, flat cheese were cut through the centre into four equal parts, and tlui rounded end of one pared down so as to permit of its standing upright on its own base, this would exactly represent the shape of one of these houses. The whole front and back of the roof come to the ground of the tanju before, and to the floor at the back. The buildings are connected with one another to the different platforms or tanjus by bamboos, ~the tanjus themselv«s being aUo constructed of large bamboos, split in two with tho rounded surface uppermcst, and being thrown only loosely against one another are dan- gerous for a European to walk over when wet, being slippery in the extreme. The interior of the houses I found fairly furnished, and judging from a Land Dyak standard, I should certainly not consider the Sikongs a poor tribe. The houses stand in a perfect forest of fruit-trees, some of great age. The formation of the hill I should say was similar to that of Serambo ; as you approach the houses, large stones and huge boulders of por- phyry are met with just as on that mountain. I was told of hot springs not far from the village, but had no time to visit them. According to the people, Sikong numbers 141 lawangs, divided into 3 tompoks, but Abang Pandak tho Sangouw revenue collector told me Sikong was formerly taxed or estimated at 180 lawaugs, which did not include tho poorer families, who might be reckoned at another 40, bringing up the affyregate to 220 lawangs. He added, that Sikong had paid revenue on two occasions, and this many years ago, the first payment was only 400 passus of rice, and the following year this dwindled doAvii to 200 passus. Like all. the tribes in this district, these Dyaks are physically a weak and wretched race ; the women are said to be good looking, but, loose in morals, those I met ■with had nothing to distinguish them in personal attractions from other Dj'ak women. They dress like the women of the other tribes I have described commencing at Triagus, but seem to prefer wearing more white beads mixed with black in their necklaces, Triugus showing a strong partiality for red and black. The Sikongs and tribes I have been now describing, have a custom which they share with the Gumbangs, and only with that tribe on the western branch of the Sarawak river, in constructing small houses in the jungle, in which they keep their most cherished valuables. This is done as a precaution against fire, and I noticed that these houses were only fastened by a rough wooden bolt. The Sikongs burn their dead of the better class, after . two daj's mourning, and flags-, banners &c., are placed over the " tinungan " or place where corpses are burnt or buried ; those lower in the social scale are buried, the poorer clases again are placed on a covered stage, while the lowest are rolled in a mat and placed on the ground in the jungle. J. recollect once meeting a Dyak funeral procession on Serambo. The sexton or " peninuch" carried the corpse (wrapped in what appeared a matj on his back, bearing a flaming bam- boo torch in his hand, and following him came a number of women clothed in white, with dishevelled hair shrieking and crying. How far these latter accompany the corpse I can- not say, but, I am led to understand only to a certain distance from the village, and they are not present at the last rites, which are performed by the sexton alone. When a funeral takes place, the village or tompok is " paraali," and as it is considered unlucky to meet the procession, the Dyaks generally confine themselves to their houses while ifc passes. The body I learn is burnt or buried as soon as possible after death,, and over the spot of cremation or burial a basket is placed, containing rice and siri-pinang for the ghost of the deceased. The above remarks apply to the Sarawak Dyaks, the custom may be otherwise across the frontier, though I imagine there can be but little difference amongst the various tribes. My attention was called while in the Sikong village, to the fact that these Dyaks had little or no old jungle suitable for paddy planting, and their farms were therefore made on scrub and bamboo lanj Mr. Everett (j£ the Borneo Go, who had also made his acquaint- ance in his native village. Mr. Everett tried to induce Susup to pi-ocead to Kuching to see the Government Officials, but, the chief obstinately refused saying he had come to see Mi-. Everett and my- self, whom he knew, and was not going to run after strangers. 58 ■women in all the 'tribes -in these partsi' The Si Panjaugs wear oliamBibf-rblaQkanidarai beads (I saw a few of blue colom;) round the neck like the Gumbangand Tringgus wonieh, differing herein from the Sikongs and Si Baddats who affect black and -white beads. The bilian or female ' doctors or prophetesses wear a strange cover to the burang or bead head covering. It is of wood, circular, made to fit the top of the burang, and prettily orna- mented (inlaid^ with tin. A short stick covered with the feathers of the enchalang or horn-bill is stuck in the centre and gives the whole a very curious effect. I have seen this covering to the head-piece in no other tribe. The Orang Kaya had the same story to tell me of the Malays and the Sarah. He was blessed with two wives, and got on verj- well with them both ; he amused me by speaking of the freshet in the Sekyam river as *' ayer passang." With reference to the Government under which he served, this Orang Kaya was not opposed to Dutch rule, on the contrary he complained that he had not enough of it. According to him the great &ult of the Diitch system in -these districts was, that the Government officer was not stationed among them. Another grievance was that the officer (controUeur), who had these Dyaks in hand -was constantly being changed. Hence it arose that they were nearly always under a stranger, and it was repeatedly urged on me by the Orang Kaya, that were a Dutch official petmanently stationed at Bali Karangan, who had spent some time amongst the Dyaks and knew their manners and customs, he himself would become responsible for his tribe, and many -others in the neigh- bourhood. The Dutch rule was fair and straightforward compared to the oppression of ■the Malays, and if the Malays were not checked the Dyaks would probably resist them. "With a Dutch officer at Bali Karangan, and the Malays restrained, the country would be at peace, as it was some of the tribes are still on the war-path, and part of the work cut out for the controlleur when he again visits the district was to fix the fines between the Si Puttongs and Tawaugs, the former having lost 2 and the latter 10 heads. According to the Orang Kaya, last year had he not interfered the Goon Dyaks would have killed Abang Pandak; guns were pointed, and swords drawn, when his influence prevailed, and the Dyak wrath was sobered down. It must be clearly understood that all the remarks made by me on the position of the Dyaks under Dutch rule, are from Dyak sources, and must therefore be taken cjuantum valeat, there may probably be another aide to the 2)icture. The village of Surob, oi' 12 iawaugs, paying 2 passus per family annually as revenue, ie situated a short distance further down the Sekyam river, and the tribe is The Tillage of an offshoot from Si Panjaug. Both these tribes say the Dyaks ages ago file W Pa^ang^aBcl ""^^^ settled in Sarawak territory, and their settlement was at Ledah Satoh Dyaks. Tannah. Tliey left Sarawak owing to the oppression of the Malays, who were jealous of their skill as workers of iron (to this day the Si Panjaugs maintain their ancient fame and their swords are much sought after throughout the dis- trict), and finally drove them out of the country. AVhen the Si Panjaugs left Ledah Tannah, they retired to Staat, thence to Sentah Simbo, and when they again moved it was to Batu Garum, near Sempro. Prahu Boya near Pangkalan Ampat, was their next settlement, which they exchanged for Simmu between Sennah and Tabiah, from whence they moved to their present site. These Dyaks appear to have no idea how long it is since they migrated from Ledah Tannah. Acccording to them it was some ten years after they ceased to belong to Sarawak, that Sangouw claimed them, and they were ordered to pay revenue. At this village i made the acquaintance of Abang Pandak, the Sangouw revenue collector. This Malay lived formerly in Sarawak, and is married to a daughter of Abang Hassan of Finding. I found him a respectable kind of man, and he called on me when he visited Kuching. I learnt a good deal about the Dyaks from this chief, who had a poor opinion of them. Annum of Sikong he said was taking advantage of the good nature of the Government ; when the Abang demanded revenue he was met with excuses and subterfuges, at the same time the Orang Kaya sent a different story to Sangouw, and it thus became A farce. For his own part he was sick of the work, and wished to resign, but, the Sultan had persuaded him to continue his duties. He complained bitterly of the Dyaks, who had Hometimes threatened to kill him, but, he had told them it was no use making away with 59 him, as lie was not collecting his own revenue, and if they felt themselves aggrieved it was to the Sultan they must look, as he was only doing his duty. I understood the Abang to lay that all the tribes pay revenue except Tawang, Tikum and Si Puttong, though from other som'ces I learrit that Si Puttong pays to Sambas, and Tikum is said to be a tribe of 12 and Tawang of 100 lawangs, the former pays revenue on the above number, while the latter only on 80 lawangs, perhaps the Abang meant that these tribes did not pay to Sangouw, but, to Sambas. It is not easy to arrive at a proper estimate of the number of lawangs, or amount of revenue paid by the tribes in these districts, the whole matter appear- ing to be in great confusion. I attended a feast given in my honour by the Orang Kaya, the proceedings com- menced in the afternoon, and were carried on far into the night. On approaching the house I was amused to see a coloured handkerchief having printed on it, the Standard Royal of England, flying as banner on a long pole. I was informed that this was a present from Sir James Brooke, and was preserved by the tribe vvith the greatest care. The proceedings at this Dyak feast were carried on as usual, my feet were brushed with a fowl by an old man, who, as well as the Orang Kaya, wished me luck &c., according to the general Dyak fashiou. The fowl was then killed and some blood smeared over my feet, as well as those of the principal people, to whom the same good luck was wished. The tanju or tanyu (platform in front of the house), was now cleared and dancing began, in which men, women and children joined. The dancing here was different from that at Jagui, where the men wore a loose sarong round the waist, Malay fashion. Here the men wore a sort of crinoline, or as I might perhaps call it, a rotan frame round the waist, coming down to the ancles over which was suspended a sarong, and small hawk-bells were fastened to the wrists and uncles of the performers. The women danced round the men, who occupied the centre of the platform, the dancing of the former consisting in ex- tending both arms, turning the toes out and in, and thus travelling round the stage. Tlie Dyak men were more ambitious, and threw themselves into contortions, bending the body from side to side, and backwards and forwards, while from to time a new performer, joining the throng, proclaimed his advent by a loud, howling shout. The moon had now risen, and was lighting with her pale and silvery beams, as wild and weird a scene as it was ever my fortune to witness. " Torches had been stuck up here and there about the stage, and their flickering rays flashing over the dancers gave a supernatural colouring to the whole per- formance. The gaudy dresses of the Dyak women and children, with their short blue pet- ticoats bordered with white, red, or black, their white shell bracelets, their brass rings on arms and legs, the masses of coloured beads round their necks, and their fantastic head dresses, all looked wonderfully striking and picturesque, as ever and anon, the rays from the blazing wood struck and illuminated the persons of the wearers, as they moved in slow but graceful measure round the male performers in their centre. The Dyak men dancing in their rich and gay coloured sarongs and jackets, bending and twisting their bodies now forwards, now backwards, keeping time to the music of the gongs, and occasionally giving utterance to an almost diabolical yell, added not a little to the effect all this created. The scene was heightened by the dense dark background of foliage of surrounding fruit»-trees and palms, through which streamed the clear soft gleams of moonlight, contending with the fiery crimson flashes from the burning torches,. in lighting up this extraordinary spec- tacle in its brightest and most vivid colours. Now and then some of the women and chil- dren, tired of dancing, would pause to rest at the corners of the verandah, where they would sing a quaint Dyak song, blending their choruses with the loud crashing of the gongs, the firing of guns and crackers, the shouts of the men who were drinking in the verandahs of the house, and the applause of the specitators. I was sometimes confused and bewildered, although perfectly delighted, as reclining on my mat in front of the Orang Eaya'a house, I gazed on all this, and it was very late before I wished the chief good night to retire to my pillow in the head-house. The feast however was kept up till tar into the small hours, and seemed to have been a perfect, success to all concerned. The morning of the 19th August saw me starting for the village of Goon, my depar- ture having been delayed by the Orang Kaya, who in consulting the birds of omen heard 60 :i bird chirp on tbe wrx»n<: side of us, unci we had tb wait till mutters 'proved more 'pro- })itioiis. We poled up the Sekyum in a sampan till we entered a stream which 'fell into ? the main river on the left bank, ciiHed the Po, which rises in Si Bnjn. Ascending the Po for a short distance, we abandoned onr sampan and waded up stream till we reached the foot of Si Bflju, which we c\imbed to its summit, and then descended to its base, on the northern side. I find it )io easj' task to describe mj' departure and tramp from one J^jak village to another, nor do incidents sufficient occur on tlie march to enliven the description. The story is ever the same, a series of struggles all day -over a bad road, through swamps, up and down hills, and across batanre- sented the appearance of a veritable messenger of evil, and after shaking him by the hand and paying him the usual I>yak compliments, I retreated to the privacy of the pangga. The Goon tribe have another palaman called Neubuud at the base of Gunong Tawi, which I did not visit, this hamlet is small, boastinc only 5 lawangs but under no Orang Kaya. Goon Tambaw-ang on Gunong Tuboi or Si Boi is another village of 15 lawangs, 2 torapoks, and one head-house said to be full of skulls. This latter village may be looked on as the head quarters of the Goon tribe, and I much regret not having had time to visit it. According to the figures above quoted. Goon would aggregate 38 lawangs, but, I am told thej- pay revenue on 45 lawangs, so that I am afraid my figures are not quite correct. Goon has paid revenue for the last 8 years to Sangouw, 2 Sarawak passus annually per family. We bad some show of feasting on a small scale, with gong beating aud dancing till a late Lour, I was told by tbe bead men here that the Si Puttonga, Tikum, Tawang and Tingone Dyaks differ greatly in their language from the other^nd Dyak tribes. 61 I add here a list of some •>l' the_Jni(.l Dyak ti'ibi:'s, with ilio names of the mouutains they inhabit. The Sikon}» Dyiiks inhabit Guuonj; SinJHii^ » Si Baddat „ , Kedde 5? Si Panjang „ , Si Puttong „ Tikum „ „ Si Baju Tantjoii Tawi ?)■ Tawang „ , Tawi >>. Suroh „ , Saduu »J Tin gone ♦,, , . Trebong „ ., Bumbang ., , Baba Tangou Boas Si Piyu Meranh ,, , Goon ,, . Munja , Minjang Si Boi 62 CHAPTER VI. Acrosb ihe boHndary line to Sarawak territory- Tne village and Dyake of Tabiah. The village and Dyake of Sumban. Source of the Sutnban river. ThevillageandDyaks of SiBungo. Ascend the Sarawak river. Source of the Sarawak river. Pangkalau A.mpat. The village and Dyake of Sennah. • Origin of the Sennah tribe of Land Dyaks. Curious Legend of the Seniiah Dyaks, Notwithstanding my leg being veiy stiff and painful and the D3'ak6 using every means to induce me to stay over another day in their village, I left Goon in the morning of the 20th August, my departure being again delayed by the farce of having to wait for a favourable bird. "We descended to the Segittim followed its left bank, crossed to the right, and then for an hour or so continued wading up stream, repeatedly crossing backwards and forwards till we came to the foot of Gunong Sepit. The ascent of this mountain was fear- fully fatiguing and my leg suffered so much that I was almost dead lame. Descending tlie mountain down its northward slope we came on the river Barung which rises in Sepit and falls into the Sarawak below Pangkalan Ampat. As the watershed seems to form the boundary, the line between Sarawak and Sangouw Across the bouu- in this direction must be over Sepit. The Dutch author Veth says that dary line back to to the north Sangouw borders Sarawak and Sadong, and while the line of the Sarawak ter- separation with the former is over the Panarissei, (? Penrissen), Serimoet, "*°'T- Samarong (? Si Marung) and Koeroem mountains, with the latter it is over Gunong Rewoeau. This last mountain is situated in a westwardly line with the Senjang (? Sinjaug) and the Bentoeang hills, which last just as more northwards the Soenjan ('•' Sinjaug) are on the borders of Sangouw and Landak." I much fear that the Dutch author has hei'e confused the Senjang and Soonjang hills, as he calls them with. •Gunong Sinjang. ^Ve coiitinued our march along the course of the Barung over a Dyak track, and then slowly commenced the ascent of Gunong Munnung some 2,501 feet in lieight, on which ir; built the village of Tabiah, according to the Dyaks Tebia or Pidia. T consider we wei'e some four hours travelling hither from Goon and I was now again amongst Sarawak people. Tabiah i;~ a village of 2 tompoks Kekas and Kedding. I stayed in the former. The tribe is under Orang Kaya Sinnen. The village and I' paid revenue in 1873 on 50 lawaugs which at |3 =!^loO. Dyaks of Tabiah. The Tabiahs were formerh'^ a great fighting ti'ibe, and possess a fine collection of heads of enemies. Among these was the skull of the father or grandfather of Murungof Gumbang. From its inaccessible position on Gunong Munnung, Tabiah was never taken, in former times there was no path up the mountain. The village is in a very dilapidated state, the Dyaks are poor, and their condition low, the houses are many of them in ruins. The women I am told are many of them barren, and judging from their personal appearance it does not surprise me, I was disappointed with Tabiah which I had been led to expect was a flour- ishing settlement, whereas I found it quite the contrary. I spent the day in the Orang Kaya's house which was neither clean or comfortable, the chief pangga with 30 skull«s was a ruin and quite uninhabitable. Later in the day I found a small head-house, which being new was clean, and here I took up my quarters for the night. At Tabiah I met the •Government revenue officer Gendoet a newly fledged Haji from M-ecca who has the Dyaks of this district under iiis charge. The inflamed state of my leg and the over-bearing manners of this Malay towards the Dyaks, disinclined me from collecting information, and hence to Staang where I parted from this Malay, I interested myself very little with the 63 people amongst whom I might happen to be. Th« Tabiah Dyaks burn all their dead,, they eat deer's flesh and keep domestic bees. The Goons and the Tabiahs follow the- •Sikongs and other tribes in that district in having small houses in the jungle for preserv- ing their valuables. There was a feast at night at the Orang Kaya'a, some drinking took place, and the noise and excitement was very great and kept up till a late hour. The yells and howls of these Dyaks were at times dreadful, and they bored me a good deal with their good uatured attentions, more so in fact than any tribe I had been with. I found myaelf next morning ascending Guuong Munuung on my journey to Sumbau. The road which was good, but excessively steep. led to tlie summit over bamboo bridges,, and batangs, bamboos &c., laid laterally along the sides of the mountain. On descending the mountain towards its north-western slope we had many difficulties to contend with in the nature of the country. We came to the Sumban stream and then to the foot of Gunong Seraung, or to what appeared a spur of this mountain, but, called Puggi by the Dyaks. Here the Tabiahs had farming lands, while further to my right the Sumbans were farming on Seraung. We now came to an undulated valley between Seraung and Munnung. After this our road for an hour or two lay across Dyak fellings through whicli my followers had to cut a path, and we again came on the Sumban stream. The rest of the journey was through Dyaks fellings and an hour of this work brought me to the village of.Sumban. At this stage I suffered greatly with pain in my leg, and I was per- haps four or five hours in accomplishing what might have otherwise have taken three Lours to get over. We enjoyed a fine view of the southern slope of Si Bungo en route. Sumban or Bimban is a village of 40 lawangs paying as revenue in 1873 at $3. $120. It is under Orang Kaya Mangko Bumi Jigga and one Peugara — Sijouw. TheTillag|aiid jj; jg erected on a spur of Gunong Seroung called Suajan, boasts one jj^^" ^^^' torn pok and two head houses with 9 skulls. There was formerly another pf these buildings but it was burntdown two years ago. Tlie village has never been visited by a Government officer since Mr. Grant was here 16 years ago. The condition of these Dyaks is very satisfactory, they seem contented and happy. The rice crop had been good, paddi I was told was planted in fair quantity, as well as Krebangs, &c., for their own use, but, no sago and I found domestic bees kept in hives under the houses. Cocoa-nut trees were scarce, but, this palm of a small kind called redang by the Malays appeared pretty abundant as well as the usual fruit trees. The houses are clean and well kept, and are built under one roof with a broad platform or tanju in front. I heard here however, the same complaint as at Tabiah viz: that many of the women were barren. The next morning I was on my way to Si Bungo. Just after leaving the village the track led us parallel with the southern face of the range of the same name, which we kept in view nearly all day. We traversed a series of small hills — Panyang, Ungung, Kombi, Ton Ac, till we came to the Sumban river, with a small but broad waterfall called Ton, with a deep pool and pebbly bed at its foot, altogether a very pretty spot, which might perhaps be called grand in the north-east monsoon, when the fall would be awoUen by the rains. The Dyaks tell me the Sumban has three Sources, the Mar which rises in Si Bungo^ the Puan which also rises in the same mountain and the Ton which has Sumbirri"^ '^^ ^^^ source in Kombi. The Sumban falls into the Sarawak river below Pangkalan Ampat above Si Bungo. We now crossed the Sumban river, the road being wonderfully good, the soil dry aud firm, of sand-stone formation. We crossed and waded up two or tliree small streams^ till we again came to the Sumban, along the right bank of which lay our path. Crossing the river near a spot where it is joined by the Mar, our march continued over an undulat- ing line of country, through low jungle, emerging from which we came to a place called Jannam by the Dyaks. Here it becama necessary to cross the Sumban again, now 64 "widened into a shallow, broad stream. Tlie crossing way eft'ectod over a series of rocks ■and boulders which strewed its bed, these were from 18 to 20 feet in height between which the water seetliing and boiling rushed with great velocity. We crept over this place by means of poles and bamboos thrown from stone to stone, in some measure like bridges, but, very frail and uncertain, being only hastilj' constructed. Continuing our march on the ri^ht bank I found we were simply travelling along a smooth slope of solid stone, the Toad being merely narrow batangs and thin bamboos placed laterally against the rocky face, loosely fastened together, and exceedingly springy and elastic. We secured ourselves rafi we best could by holding on to roots of trees, shrubs &.C., but, the whole of this part of the journey involved a great deal of climbing, clambering, wading and crawling, which ia more than one place taxed my powers to the utmost. The path following the Sumbau river, was traced along the face of small hills, sloped down to the water in some places ia •a sheer descent of 30 or 40 feet to the turbid stream below, which being full of large ■boulders, would probably have caused the death of any one who might have the misfor- tune to fall among them from above. Occasionally the path would be round the projecting point of some rock and we found ourselves standing over the river with a perpendicular fall of 20 or 30 feet below tis. In this way we continued our progress, following the -course of the Sumban, and having once more crossed the boulders which encumber the river bed, and make this stream impassable for boats or even sampans we arrived at Pangkalan Ruppi, just after skirting the base of Gunong Tumbang or Panggo. The road traversed must be dangerous in the extreme in the north-east monsoon, in fact nothing would induce me to attempt it. Pangkalan E,uppi on the right bank of the river is the landing-place of the Sumban Dj'aks, and at this point the stream is deep and free from obstructions. Here we entered a prau and dropping down stream found ourselves after ■a few minutes poling in the Sarawak river, descending which for a short distance, we brought up on the right bank at the Dyak village of Si Bungo. I may conclude by saying that the Malays according to Dyak report have never worked the Sumban river for diamonds, though I cannot learn why they should not be met with there as readily as they appear to be found in other streams in the immediate vicinity. The village of the Si Bungo or Bunguch Dyaks is built on both banks of the Sarawak river, the majority of the houses being on the right bank, on a heck of The village and jg^^j caused by the junction at this point of a small stream the Modang ya BO I 1 un- ^^^^.j^ ^j,^^ main river! The houses of these Dyaks are clean, with broad verandahs in good order, and there ii^ an air of pros|.>erity about the place which augurs well for the future. The dwellings are constructed similar to those of Sum- ban a long roof covering a number of houses. The men are well clothed many wearing- Chinese trousers and bajus, but, as regards their skin and faces as dirty and ugly as any ■other Dyaks I had visited. The dress of the women is like that in the other Dyak tribes, the bead iiead dress is not so commonly worn as with some of' the other tribes, certainly not so often as with the Tringgus. Si Bungo is a village of 53 lawaugs, and four Tompoks, Tanjong, Rumbak, Riden and across the river Budji. The Orang Kaya is Steer Rajah •Gisay and under him a Pengara Pattip. There are three head-houses with 8 skulls. Paying on 58 lawangs the revenue of the Si Bungo tribe as they furnish no bird's nests amounted in 1873 at $3 per lawang to ...$159. Having settled myself in the pangga at Tanjong, I was visited by the Orang Kaya, but, not until 1 had repeatedly enquired and sent for him. The Si Bungo Dyaks are notorious for their indifference to the wants of travellers, and for the little ho8))itality they extend to any one. On a previous occasion when passing up river, I halted at this village for supplies, but, although accompanied by S» Government peons, I could procure nothing the villagers refusing to part with either fowls or rice. Not being able to find the Orang- Kaya and being pressed for time, I told the peons to seize fowls and rice i Panjang^ is still visited by these tribes, as well as the Suroh, Sennah, Tabiah, Si Puttoug, Tawang,. Tikum and Tinyone Dyaks. There are eight Chinese dealers established here, who, I am told not only drive a brisk trade in iron, cloth, tobacco, &c.. with the Dyaka for jungle produce, &c., but, also smuggle a good deal of opium hence across the frontier into Sangouw territory, the principal agent in this latter business being one Kim Pony. The settlement is very prettily situated on the left bank of the stream, and might per- haps be made more important than it is, if a little more attention were paid to its interests. It was from here that I started in 1870 to walk from the headwaters of the Sarawak river to those of the Sadong, following the line of march taken by Wallace the travellesr who gives a very interesting account of this trip; * my own account will be found in the appendix to this chapter. Pangkalan Ampat is about 2 hours poling in a small sampan from Si Bungo, while Si Bungo itself is some 5 hours poling from Sentah • The Malay Archipelago Vol. I. Pages 111 -!<"•. 66 SimLo, the distance to Ledah Tannah from Panlcalau Ampat may be talien at 60 miles,, •while Ledah Tannah being about 13 miles from Kuching it follows, that the settlement I am describing is some 73 miles from the capital. Tringgus across country is perhaps 16 miles from Pangkalan Ampat, but, there is not even a Dyak track between the two places. The Malay Pembakal here told me that he has walked from Pangkultn Ampat to Sennah thence to Sodos Tambawang, and down the Sodos mountain to S' Impio on the Sekyam river in one day. I quote these distances to show what a central position Pang- kalan Ampat enjoys for the Dyaks in these districts, but for the Land Dyaks in the siffgregate in the Residency of Sarawak, no position can be superior to Ledah Tannah. I took up my quarters while at Pangkalan Ampat in the house of the Pembakal who is in charge here. The building was almost a ruin, the roof in holes, and the knjangs out at the sides. As regards cleanliness Haji Jirajak's house contrasted very unfavorably with many DyaTi houses in which it had been my fortune to stay, it was extremely dirty, and the pre- mises in general were very ill kept. Next morning I poled my course up the Sennah stream to the village and Dyaks of the same name. No small sampan being procurable it must have been three or four hours before I reached the village, the situation of which on both banks of the river with the backs of the houses facing the water is very pretty. The Orang Kaya and people being aware of my intention of visiting them, had made extensive arrange- ihe village and ments for my arrival and I found the whole place ornamented with plaintam leaves, and branches oi trees and every thing prepared tor a great feast at night. I went straight to the head-hoi'se on the left bank where I wa-s visited by the Orang Kaya and chiefs, who expressed themselves delighted at seeing me, and went so far as to say that they wished they could see more of the white men in their district. ] n point of physique the Sennah tribe is vastly superior to any of the Dyaks I had visited. The men possess more stamina, are well built, healthy and strong, more clothed than the generality of their countrymen, while in manners and address they are open and independent, being devoid of the shyness and timidity which characterizes this people. Some of the women were really good-looking, with clean healthy skins and cheerful smiling faces. The Sennah tribe is in a most prosperous condition, (though it suffered severely during the cholera visitation in 1857) being well off in tawaks-tawaks, chauangs, jars &c., and boasting a 5})lended peal of gongs. N^egetables are freely planted and a good deal of sago grown. Beehives are also kept under the houses, but, the p»ddy crop I was informed had not been good. I find nothing particular to note in the dress or customs of this tribe. The dead are burned and the women wear a black rambi and some that of a brown colour. Formerly a rambi of cane stained yellow was in fashion, but, this is discontinued, while the red is not much in favour. The houses are similar to those of Si Bungo and Sumban, but larger and constructed of wooden planks with a broad well kept taiiju in front. The Sennahs build no boats and are useless as boatmen. The tribe is under Orang Kaya Barei a young men who has held his present position about 2 years. Tinder him is Peiigara named B^so. I am afraid the Orang Kaya's influence with his people is limited, as I was told by the Malay Pembakal that many disputes and becliaras, were brought to him to adjudicate. This is far from satisfactory, as it leaves the control of the tribe too much in the hands of a Malay. The tribe is divided into three tompoks Sodos, Sungan, and Sennah, and paid revenue in 1878 on 114 lawangs which at $3=$342 and no bird's neste are worked. A great feast was given in ray honour. On my arrival a pig had been killed, and when I joined the festive gathering at night, an old man approached me with some of its blood in a cup. He then made me a speech the purport 'of which I was informed meant good luck, happiness and prosperity to me and my followers. I was then asked to take a piece of bamboo, dip it in the cup covering it with blood, and with the bamboo in hand wishing the tribe the same compliment. This I did and 1 had then to throw the stick as far as I could into the jungle. The distance thrown by me with the bamboo, appeared to give general satisfaction, and we then settled down to the business of the eveninj,'. The feast differed little if at all from other Dyak feasts, but, here only as at Si Panjang did the 67 ■wonieu dance, and it was only at this village that the sword dauce was introduced which •was but ail imitation of that of the Malays. There was the us^al amount of drinking, but no excess ; being tired and foot sore I did not stay late, mirth, music, and noise were carried on till nearly daylight. I spent the whole of next day in this village and collected the following information regarding the origin of this people. The Seuualis were ori, oi-'^ If amaral]an district, the head-men being of Si Panjang extraction. In their cus- toms these Dyaks follow the other tribes already described. In the evening a feast was arranged, but, it turned out a very indifferent affair. The dirt, disease, and poverty whicli every where met my gaze in this village disinclined me against mixing very muck with the people, and I was glad to hasten my departure. "We were on the move early next morning for Serin and descended Brungo over a steep but, well kept road, and half an hour's travelling from the base of the hill brought us to Siap. the landing jjlace of the Simpoke Dyaks and where their village formerly stood. The Dyak.s tell me there is a good road pi-etty level between Simpoke and Serin, which can be traversed in about four hours. This i.s nov/ so overgrown that the Dyaks who were carrying my kit preferred dropping down stream in a crank, old sam])an to striking this trail acros.s country. We now commenced poling down tlie head waters of the Samarahan river, there being no rapids, or rocks, or boulders to hinder our progress, the only obstacles were trunks and l)ranches of fallen trees,, and the shallowness of the water. The Simpoke Dyalcs are no boatmen, and their efforts to propel our small boats were Indicorous in the extreme, imd generally ended in two or three of them being toppled over together head foremost into the water. After an hour's poling we came to Pangka Ian Petti where the Dyaks bring down their revenue or petti, hence the name, and about three hours more poling brought us to the mouth of the Serin river, which we ascended, and finding as free from obstacles as the Samarahan we had no difficulty in pushing our way up stream. The shallowness of the water delayed us considerably, and it was late in the afternoon when we brought up at Tebut, a Palaman of the Serin Dyaks on the right bank of the river. I was very glad to find myself in a small, clean, comfortable head house without however any heads in it but in lieu thereof a fine peal of a:onirs. The i Phut .1 i aianian pjii^orga here is onlv a short distance from the landing-place, to which ot the. ^eiin Dyaks. ', &= . n i .' i • i v i i i i -i i there is a well kept road, including a long l)amboo bridge over a marshy piece of ground. 1 found the Dyaks here well built, strong looking fellows, korap how- ever was very prevalent, one victim to this disea., and here we hud to remove ourselves and i)olongings out of tiie prau fo euable the boat to be dragged to the dee]) water above. Above the rapid the water deeiiened and poling was easy ; we caught a view of Gunong Drut and after about two hours l)uatiuo' landed on the right bank, whence an hours' walk througli puddy ciearino's brouu-ht us to Gunong Gayu at the foot of which is the Serin village. The Serin or Penj'owah tribe is settled in five t()m])oks. Ivrian, I'rvali, Drut 'J'ebut and Serin. The Orang Kayn was one Ijar, wlio is dead and no chief will Dyaks oi %rin'." Reappointed until the Rajah returns from Europe. The general opinion ))()ints to one Tappi, Tjar's younger brother as the .successor to the Orano- ICayasliip. This man resides aflerbut, he a[)pears to he i)opiilar, and I found him civfl and resjiecrablc. There arc two Pengaras one at Drut called babek, and another ar Seria ■called Garip. The Serin tribe paid revenue in.iy73on 117 lawangs whicii at $0= y 351.00 They paid also 500 birds nests weg. i)6J catties sold at ^o'-'' ' 309. liO s^ GGO.CO This tribe is one of the most flourishing of the Laud Dyak tri'jes, thev plant l)esides Paddy Sago, Siri, Ginger, and vegetables of all kinds for their own use, the usual o-ioves of fruit- trees are also observable, pigs and fowls are abundant and bees are kept under some of the houses. The Serins are wealthy from the sale of their birds' nests, the workino- of some of the caves in which these are found they divide with their neighbours the Bukars with whom they are not on friendly terms. The cavea of Gunong Pyang regardino- which they quarrelled with the Bukars, was divided between the two tribes i)y order of Government in the followinji manner. The Bukars were to hold the caves for two years, and thev were then to go permanently to the Serins ; this year the two years of the Bnkar tribe are en- ded and next year they go to the Serins. Tliere is another dispute? pendiun between the Serins and the Taup Dyaks regarding the caves of Gunong Myap. The Sei-ins are boat builders and good boatmen, they are physically well built and strong, but thev suffer very much from korap. Silver ornaments are much worn and the sheaths" of many of their swords are silver mounted. Kotwithstanding all this I hear their stoie of rice will be consumed before the new supply comes in, and they will have to fall back on sago, or what they can purchase. The men seem Avanting in enerf>v and the sooner an Orang Kaya is appointed the better. The Serin women are well favored stroni-- and healthy and there is no complaint of their being barren, one or two of th'e y stratagem, and wished to carry it off to their country, but before the thieves had accomplished half of their homeward journey, the majority were dead men. Jn fact whosoever laid hands on the idol died. In despair therefore they threw it awiiy in the jungle, haviug first broken off one of the legs. The idol formerly wore a berowan or necklet made of gold, this was stolen by the Senankans, but, say the Serins, when the thief reached his own country, he and the berowan were both turned into stone, and there they are to the |)resent day. At Senakan Tumma the berowan is a charm for the tribe, and the man in stone is above ground under the verandah of the head-house. The idol Siju, having been deprived by the Senankans of one of his legs, could only limp with the greatest difficulty; he wivs therefore more than a month in tlie jungle, Avheu he encountered a clump of yellow bamboo, touching which with his broken leg they all died. Finally he reached Serin, aud crawled under the head-house, which was erected on the same site where now stands tiie building in which Siju is still preserved. At the time of Siju's arrival under tiie paugga, a Dyak was shtirpening his parang on a stone, over which he oc- eiisionally [lonred water. As the v/ater dripped down balow through the lautis of the liuor, the drops fell ou ti large lea!' called tra[) by the Dyaks, making at the same time a k)ud and pi'culiar sound, not liking which the Dyak removed to another corner oi the building, aud resumed his occupation. The leaf, however, continued to follow him, and wherever he settled himself in the head-house there was the leaf below him. This continued till the man gjowing angry went uuder tiie pangga, and call out '• Why is this leaf always following me." when, on examination Siju was found concealed beneath it, who told the Dyak to take him up to the head-house, collect the people, and make a feast. Siju then appeared, and told the assembled Dyaks to tend and*. preserve him; if this was faithfully aud carefully done he would continue his protection and defend them against their enemies. The Dyaks .say that whenever they went on the war-path, a noise, as if of 1000 warriors armijg aud preparing for the strife, was heard in the head- house. Once in every four years a great feast is held at Serin in honour of Siju. This year the feast had been conducted on a large scale, and no less than 2-4 pigs were sacrificed. Unfortunately I arrived too late to be present, but I was told that ou these occasions Siju, or the idol, is taken down from the roof of the pangga where it is kept, and di- vested of the bark of the pisang tree which covers the box in which the idol is preserved. The idol is then taken out of the bos, and, at the place of worship, the white cloth, in which it is wrapped, is unrolled, a cup full of cocoa-nut; water, mixed with the leaves of the sekadip aud piuingnt plants, bieing placed at a little distance oil". Siju, say the Dyaks, jumps into the cup aud proceeds to butlie, being aided by the elders, who brush him with fowl's feathers, and, when his ablutions are finished, the water in which he has bathed is sprinkled over the heads of the assembled people. No one but the three head-men is permitted to see Siju in his bath, or in fact, see hiui at all, they alone may 81 but a figure of one of the Hindu gods, seated crosti legged with folded arras, such as are often met with in Java sculptured on ancie:it ruins, or are occasioually dug up in the form of copper, bronze, or stone idols. The jiniat has probably been in the {)os- session of the tribe from a remote period, and may in some way throw a light on the earlier history of this people. It would be most interesting to know c:iactly what this idol, charm, or relic really i.s, and I can only hope that those, who follow in my footsteps among tiie Land Dyaks, will be successful in elucidating- the i.rue i^istory of Siju, und dispelling the mystery with which ii is now surrounded. ^. On tiie 3rd of Angiist I left Serin for the village of Brang, ray road skirting the foot of (lunong Gayu brought me to a small temporary settlement of Dyiiks of UraiT"'"' the Brang Dyaks, called Si Tara. Here we ommenced the .tscent of Grunong Sauh which hill, though high, is easily mounted, as the road to tiie summit is good and up a gradual slope, differing in this respei;t from th'i other ascent to this village from the pangkalan at Muara Temurang on the Sarawak river. I es- timate the distance to Brang from Serin at 2 hours walk or from 4 to o miles, and the road from Muara Temurang at about one hours walk or 3 niiltis, over a feai-fully steep mountain track. I made a small pangga in Brang village ui}"^ (j^uarters so long as I re- mained among this people. The building Avas small, affording accomodation for only three or four persons, very dirty, uncomfortable and full of cockroaches. The Brang tribe is under Oraug Kaka i\Ia [sc and a Pengara named Bi Sye. It paid tax in 1873 on 55 lawangs at S3 ... ... % 1G5.00 They paid also 7 cai.ties of uestj^ sold at |o. ... , % 21.00 § 187.00 The village, with ona head house, coa>laceon each side with a passage between into the next compartment, which may be said to be in the same room there being nothing to mark the separation, but a thick bamboo joist in the floor. This second compartment which is used as the sleeping or lounging place is about twelve feet in length. In the third compartment also twelve feet long are stored the household goods — ^jars, guns, swords, charms, gongs, baskets, cloths, Ac, &c., and here 85 uiuler the raised roof a portion of the floor is railed oft' for storiujz bottles, jars ofarrak, oil itc. Sic. The sides of the houses are all of planking and the floors of laiitis. The a- bove account of a Bukar Dyak house describes the habitation of Fengara Guddus. The intei-ior of the houses at Lanchang were clean and exhibited a good deal of the wealth such as Dvaks prize, no trib'>. have I found e(iual the Bukar in thiji respect. A yreat ma- ny >:ilver coins and ornaments are ob.servable, sheaths of swords and parangs beiiijf covered with tliis metal, while silver coins were worn round the edge of the petticoat, and mixed witii snbitsoj' the same metal round the waists uiid loins of the women., Tlie effluvinm aris- ing from tliH accumulation of dirt and refuse in this village was really fearful. The honse.s being I)uilt ou level ground^ tliere is no natural drainage, and the Dyaks have made none for themselves. Living as 1 did in the head house which was but slightly raised from the ground I had the full benetit of all thi.s, and 1 arrived at .the conclusion that Singhi wliich enjoy.s the unenviable notoriety of being the dirtiest of our vilhiges can no longer claim this distinction. The Lanchangs had just repaired and in many instances entirely re-buik their houses, they had consequently p'>t them under pamali for four days, two of which had already expired. The Dyaks wished me to stay till the houses were free, when they would have entertained me at a feast, but being pressed for time I was obliged to decline. The LanchauH Dyaks plant little beyond paddy, they have about ten sago trees, ond fruit tree.s are of course abundant. Their proportion of bird's nests paid to Government amounted to ;j,080 nests. Like the rest of the Bukar tribe, the Lanchaiigs bury their dead, there being two beringahs or sextons in rhis village being the same number as at Jinan. The women dre.ss very like all the otlier Land Dyaks from Gumbang to Serin, shell arm- lets and In-iiss wire beiny in f^eneral use,' beads however are not in much favour. I am told the bead head dress is worn, but, saw none myself, it is said to be smaller or rariier shorter, one half of the heiyht of the one usually worn. Men and women wear a large round hat, fittino- tighr, round the head by a band on which is i-aised.the flat cover about two feet and more in diameter. I started for the village of ilungo Babi on the 7th September, enjoying a walk of two hours duration over a good level path, ti)e iirst jjortion of our march being over the latter part of our track from Jinan, and we waded down ihe Kuwas stream On approaching Miuifio Babi we passed clo.se to the ibot of '.'runong Nambi an immense mass of limestone rock in which are the caves of Siri and Tambaeo, both of these were pointed out to raeby iNin^r^al of Kumpang who was our guide. It is in these caves that so many of the bird's nests are found, the sale uf which adds . extract little froui the people theni.selves, the folhnvinji is principally from the ..liiiin of the Malay sources, my informauis however assuring mi; that it had been Bukar Draks. obtained from the Dyaks themselves. Jdany years ago an ancestor of the Serin Dyaks an Orang Kaya or llajah named Bi Sui went to Java to a place called Teluk Siali near Saniaiang to pay his asil or tax, Serin in those days paying tribute to Java. On hi^ return when about half way across the sea which intervened between the two islands, he observed two peisons a man and a woman floating iu the water, he rescued them, and broughi iheni lo Sarawak. Being ignorantof their langiuige he was unable to discover their names or country, he however settled them near the head of the Samarabau river at a place called Pinauu ]\Iira giviuy; them the name of Si iluntung. Bi Sui as he •:]'e.w older sent these waifs of tljf ocean to pay his tribute for him in Java, anii when the children and descendants of tiieso Si Muntnngs had increased a.ni Muntun^s having- no chiefs were .sitpplied from the Serins. After liiis when the SiU'awak people lived at Snugei Buah near Santubong under a Datu and his wife, (i)ermasuri) there came a large ship from I'egu whose crew attacked and defeated the people, destroyed the place, and killed the Datu. The Avife escaped, and when she baw the ruin and devastation which these-iieojile had brought on her and her country, she arrayed herself in male attire, eiuercil her sampan alone, boarded the Fegu vessel, and amoking cleared the sliip carryin>i all heibre her. It is said siie scooped out the eyes of the slain, which report sa\s arc now iu the pos.seision of the descendants of Haji .\iyah of Kuchiug who inherited them from their ancestors. The Pegu ship had been 87 amoked at the mouth of the Santulioug river, and her crew returning on board ship plead- ing for mercy, the Datu's wife oriiered the vessel to ,be taken to Sungei Buah. Here the- Pegu people settled and amalgamated with the Sarawak villagers, and I am assured that in former times beards and whiskers such as are now seen among the Bukar Dyaks were not uncommon among the Malaya of Sarawak. The majority of the Pegu people went to- the Sumarahan «nd settled in the midst of tlie Si Muntuuga, who having been but slightly crossed- with other natives the strain shows more plainly and accounts for the whiskers- and beardi of the HuUars, though this peculiarity is yeiirly becoming leas percicvable, in fact even so late as the. European occupation of the country, the falling off in numbers of those Dyaks who could boast these hairy appendages is clearly perceivable. At a later period some Dynks from Senankan Tumongin the Sadon^ district emig ated, and settled amongst the Bukars at Lanchang. I now bade farewell to these Bukar Dyaks and started for Paingkalau Eucla on the- Bintang stream, the road being over an undulated country, but, very much over grown ; I estimate the distance at about two miles. On the march the Dyaks told me that a China- man visits the tribe at reijular intervals for trading purposes, though he is not the only one who visits them especially at the time when the bird's nests are collected. The Paus^li- ma assured me that the tribe would gladly see a Chinaman permamently settled at the Pau- kalan and they would willingly assist him in erecting a house and clearing hia ground. It is astonishing how all the Land Dyaks lean towards the Chinese, and how strong is. their antipathy to the Malay, though when this feeling is sifted it is easily accounted for.. The Mal>«y visiting the J)yaks brings almost nothing with him and his sole aim and ob- ject is to get all he can out of the Dyaks, swindling them for literally nothing, and fi-eely usinji the names of the Government and Datus to bear him out in his petty schemes of extortion, while be treats the people witll the utmost contempt, continually taunting them with their inferiority. This is carried on to a greater extent than is genei-ally known. L recollect at Serin being told by the Dyaks that some Malays who had been at Terbut, had simply lived on the "people even lire-wood and water liaviug to be supplied gratis to these loafers by the \anfortunate people, and yet although I was in the house I could not get the Dyaks to complain. I could multiply these cases if necessary, ray experience- extending from Gurabang to Sentah. The Chinese act differently there is not the slightest doubt but that in their trading transactions they take the meanest nd vantage, using false weights and measures, and other- wise imposing "on the people, bringing the full benefit of their superior intelligence to im- pose on the Dyaks. Still they arrogate no superiority over the people with whom they dwell or trade, and if the Dyak has to pay dearly for what he purchases, he still becomes the proprietor of sometldng, inferior and expensive as it may be, while from the Malay he a.s a rule obtains nothing. The Chinaman identifies himself with the Dyak, usually mar- ries a Uyak girl, and interests himself in the affairs of the people in whose midst he may find himself settled. The result of this course of proceeding on the part of the Chinese has ended in their establishing themselves in almost every Land Dyak village. Their in- fluence in this position unless carefully watched and cliecked cannot always be looked upon as beneficial to the Dyaks, thoutih there is no doubt thnt the physical results of inter-raarria"-e between thetwo races wonderfully improves ihe Land Dyak, as any one can testify to who has compaied the Dyak of Upper Sarawak with that of Sambas. I now continue my narrative. We came to tbe pangkalan on the Bintang stream which stream rises in Gunong Nauibi and falls into the Samarahan near the mouth of the Sira branch. Havini'^ taken prahu at the pangkalan we found it hard work paddling our way, the river being greatly obstructed with fallen timber. iSome two hour.s of this kind of work and we passed Pangkalnn Magog where the Covernment revenue is received. At this point the river deepens, and we made fair progress and shortly passed the entrance to the I'yang stream which iiills into the Bintang on the left bank and at the source of which hot springs are said to exist. A little below the Pyang is Lobok Panchur, and about an hours paddling from Pangkalan Magog brought ns to M<1ara Bintang when we found ourselves fairly started on the Sumarahan river. '^ 88 About an hour's paddling and we passed the mouth of the Barn stream which falls ' J ^ c ^^^^ *^'® Samarahan on the right bank, and perhiipe another hour's in»r!h?n°riv*r. ' boating and we brought up at Seruit a village of the Sibuyau ( Sea ) Dyaks, at the mouth of a small stream of the same name. At Seruit I halted for a couple of hours and bade farewell to my Bukar friends exchanging their small boar for u larger prahu, and dropped down stream for M^ara Tuang, the village of which name we reached on the morning of the 9th September having paddled all night. Meafa Tuang as its name denotes is the entrance to a stream which rises in Gunoug Sebornu. A considerable number of Malays are settled here, and in the vicinity, and the karapoug which may be said to extend to both banks of the river is very extensive. There are no less than six Chinese traders in this village whose shops I found very fairly stored with gooda. The soil in the Samarahan district is superior to any I have met with in the course of my trip, and I am surprised that so little has been done here in agriculture, there are numerous small Malay fruit jjlantations, with clearings for paddy, but, no systematic planting of produce has been commenced here by Chinese or others, and this is the more to be regretted as the soil would well repay cultivation. Being closely pressed for time I made but a short stay at M<«ira Tuang my destination bein<: Sentah on Gunong Seboran, and to reach this tribe we first ascended the Tuang paddling slowly for an hour <^>r two till we entered the Un dap stream which rising in Seboran falls into the Tuang. Another hour's paddling and we arrived at Pangkalan Petti where the Sentah Dyaks deliver tlieir revenue to Government, there is another landing-place which is generally used by the Dyaks nearer the village, hut, we did not take advantage of it, the road thence to Sentah being said not to he good. Two hours walk and we came to Sentah village. the ascent up to which on Gunong Teboran about 600 feet in height is pretty steep. The tribe which is called Sentah by Malays and Europeans, Si Buran by its own people and Biota by the Dyaks of the western branch was at one time and n-i'De^of>enuir One of the greatest of the Land Dyak communities. Tbeiv country was ravaged and the village destroyed on two diflferent occasions by Sea Dyaks once under Seriff Sahib and again under the .Datu Haji, when these poor Dyaks fluifered severely, and small-pox in 1853 and cholera in 1857 nearly completed the work of extermination. Sentah now consists of three torn poks Itanibye, Kyah, and Tabak, the Settlement of Kuap beiuvhere the diamonds are found, here bears the name of the Simbo. It has two branches or sources, one rises in Gunong beboran and is called Yandan, the other rising in Staang is known from its source to its mouth as 89 Siniho. I had little or uo opportunity to eiaraiue thid village, being greatly pressed fur time. I am told tliat the Seutali and preserve in a box in one of fclje fur time. I am told tliat tlie Sentahs have a guna or charm or idol which They value'highly peaks of Seborau, report says they refuse to show it . It was at the village 6f Sentali that I succeeded with great difficulty in procuring two bulbs of the Sekedip flower, so highly prized and venerated by all the ihe liungaSekedip. j^and Dyak tribes I had visited, so niucli so tiiat I coul.l never induce tiiem to part with even u single root. This flower has been so fully described by Low in his work on Sarawak (See Appendix A.) that I shall only conflne myself here to saying that the plant growi to a height of about 18 inches, the leaves being arranged as with those of the arum, light green in colour and deeply ribbed in the direction of their length, and what are called hastate oha[)ed, but, short and very, broad, the length and breadth being^ about equal. The blossom is white and shaped like that of a hyacinth with six petals, the tops of the stamens being reddish yellow. The flowers form a buni'h at the end of a long stalk about a foot in length. I could obtain no explanation from the Dyaks as to the • origin of their veneration for this flower. It is planted with their paddy, and when the cn.p i.s gathered, the plant is dug up and the bulb preserved till again required. All that the Dyaks could say was that this had l)e«n their custom from time immemorial. I found the Sekedip planted near the villages with another flower called the [)eningat generally in conjunction with a clump of yellow bamboo, and this appeared to be invariably a place of offering. On the lOtli of September, I struck out for palanian Kuap : descending Seboi-an the path was steep and very much over-grown, but, the track over the level ^"I'he Senuh^tribe" ground below was good though some of the bridges were out of repair. The latter part of the road w;is in thorough good order, and I estimate that 2^ hour's walking brought me to Kuap. At this village called Bu-Kuab by tlie Dyaks a missionary an ordained clergyman of the church of England has taken up his quarters, a neat little church has been erected, and nearly the whole of the inhabitants who number '.20 lawangs as well as many of the Seutah villages have embraced Christianity. The Orang Kaya liitwid an old man is almost useless from stupjdity. The village though of the ordinary Laud Dyak type is clean and perhaps in better order than most of the other Dyak settlements. At the same time it is much to be regretted that the Mission did not commence their efforts at conversiou amongst some of the wealthier and more influeutial tribes such as the Sentahs, Serins or Bukars. I believe they would have been cordially ■welcomed, and there would have been better material to work on, than can be found in a tribe who from various causes may almost be considered as effete, and who are decidedly wanting in vitality and energy. One of the results of the conversion to Christianity of these Dyaks has been that among the heathen portion of the community, the younger members impregnated with more liberal ideas refuse to depend upou birds and omens in carrying out their agricultural pursuits, taking instead the first favourable opportunity. They are therefore in opposition to the old men and chiefs who of course insist on follow- ing in the footsteps of their fore-fathers, and whose la ith and belief iu the ancient and traditional customs of their tribe are not to be shaken. Having enjoyed for the night the kind hospitality of the clergyman in charge, I left Kuap on the morning of the 11th September and walked to the landing-place on the Kuap river, where taking prahu I descended the stream to Si Mungo a Malay village. Two or three hours walk hence over an abandoned road which might be kept iu repair at a trifling expense, and thus connect the Kuap river with Kuching and I emerged at Batn Kinian and ended my trip among the Land Dyaks which had extended over 48 days, during 44 of which I had not seen or held communicatiou with any European, and fe\> Malays or Chinese. 90 APPENDIX A. " Tb«' Bunfra Si Kucli]i aw it in oallcd by tin.' Byaks of tlie S;)m,licrn Tjrauoli of tlio Siirawat river •• iiuil auiougst whom it ie held in the gruaU'st cBteeiii, tlunigh kuowu I believe l'> all tin- tribes, is the •• ])laut descrilied by botiiiiiste aB the Pa.ncratiiiui AiiiboiiieKe or Eurj-cles coronata. a nativt? of the " Moluccas and other islands to the Eastward, bur, as far as at present known, a stranger to the flora " of Borneo, in the Westward part of which the order Aniaryllideoe. to which it belongs, is only " represented by one spooieR of Crinnm. which J8 found in the ninddy banks of rivers. By the " Si-ljo6yoh Sea Dyaks. this plant ir ciilhi'd Si-Keiiyang. By the Dyaks of the Southern branch of " the Sarawak river, the pjots of thib bulbous plant are preserved with jealous care, being always ■*■ taken up when the jjaddy is ripe, and pi-(?sen-ed amongst it in the granai'ies to be planted again " with the seed-paddy in the following season. It bears a beautiful crown .of white and fragrant " flowers, which rise about a foot above the Imll) : the onlj' plant which I saw in a flowering state was " at Sennah. and no consideration would induce the owner to part with it. " These and other Dyaks assert that the paddy will not grow unless a i)lant of the Si-Kudip be *• in the field, and on being asked respecting its origin they answered that Tuppa gave it to mankind ■" with the paddy, and requested tbeui to take care of it, which they now do. The plant I saw in *■ flower at Sennah, had a bamboo altar erected over it. on which were several offerings, consisting of "" food, wa.ter. &c. '• I think there can be little doubt that the plant has been brotight with the Dyaks from the country "" whence they first emigrated to Borneo, and as it is not at present known to be an inhabitant of any ■■" country West of the island, it would follow that the people came from the Eastward, perhaps from " the opposite island of Celebes ; but conclusions of this nature cannot be drawn until the habitat, of " the plant be better ascertained. Should it be found to be held in the same veneration amongst the " Kyan tribes, and the wild inhabitants of Celebes, and the Arafouras of the different islands be " better known, the fact of this plant having been can-ied Westward may be of considei-able import- *' ance. in setting at rest the long agitated question regarding the direction in which the tide of " population in the Eastern Islands flowed. That this Island was peopled originally from the East- " ward is I think to be deduced from the relative positions of the tribes : the Kyans the most sb-ong *"' and powerful, occupying the Eastern-coast, having driven the Sea Dyaks, the descendants of former "' emigrants, to the Westward, who had i^revioush- forced the Land Dyaks, the first emigrants to the '■ island to retreat before them in the same manner. Low. " Suraival: its inlidbitaid)! and jirochictlnns "^ Pages 273-75. In acknowledging the receipt of one of the bulbs of the Sikedip Mr. Low writes mo under date. Lahuan {)th Febnianj, lS7t). "The plant is the Euryclee coronata as it is called by botanists, _ the plant fMrmerly bove the ■' botanical name of Pancratium Amboineuse from which I infer that it must have been found -wittbtr * ^<^^«^ '' in the Moluccas. I have nevei- seen it in any of my travels in a wild state, nor have I observed drlt KArZ£ "" it is venerated amongst any other Dyaks who I have visited. 91 APPENDIX B. I am 111(161)60(1 to tlie BevA. F. W. Abe of the Sarawak Mission for the following list of pure Land Dyak words, us well as for the form of incantation in use among the beruri or priests. Sentah Dialect. A1)U', Physically able, To ai;i;ept to take, ™ f to walk, To ijo ■{ . ' ^ 1 to go, To come. Ago or have, sign of the ) perfect tense, ) Shall sign of the fut\ire tense. All, Angry, Rage, To tell, to say. Appearance of things. Do. of persons, Do. of face. To arrange. To ascend, to go home, A person, To sleep. To sleep soundly, To awake. Ashamed. To throw To bite. To beat. White.. To count, Eight, Ten, To dance, I llCdisease^ Leprosv, Blood, ■ Die, death. To sit down. I way, Skifm. Abeo (tree), Biinyich. Sliiaouuch. Do. (domestic), .. Nyownii. Mit. Huney, Jiih-buuyich. Odih. Wood, Forest, Tarun. Poniih. To blow, Poch. Menog. To blot out, Ngutoah. Moch -^ ^°^^' -^'"'^• Brother, Madich. » Father, ' Sama. i' Mother, Sindo. PSrOg-Pgrog. Will (you), ■ Ea-iin. Boji. To boil, Tanok. Tuas. Head, Obak. • ' Da-an. Hair, Obok. Mun Foot, Kojah. Each. Eye, Beiuch. Eilon. Ear, Kojit. Mishon. . Mouth, BobaJi. Maiid Teeth, Jipoch... Na-iln. Tongue,' Jurah. Bo-OS Finger, Trinyuh. Bo-os roro. Arm, Bireang. Burach. Thigb, Pii-och. Muugoch. Black, ' Singot. Taran. Blue and Green, Barom. K6-ut. Yellow, Sia. Mukong. Grey, Apak. Budah. Bed, ' Bireh. Niap. One, Ni. Mai. Nine, Pri-i. Simong. To cut, Kapog. Berejang. Dark, Karom. Berandam. Fever, Sungoh. )Supach Bmall-gox, Teboroh. Deivah. DysenWy, Tiiki-Deiyah. Kubfis. To drftik, Nok. Gnni. Enough, Eaput. The Land Dyuks have a kind of Hindu Triraurti.viz : — Tapsv or Yung. The Preserver. (Vishnu or Dewa-r decreasing. I have the honor to be Eajiih. Tour obedient Servant, jr" DENISON, ^l^^\ Resident Upper Sarav;};.>: 93 To LI. H. The Rajuh of Sarawak', 8(iratL-ak. MemorfUKluni on rlie Liuid ReTCiuK; of Upper Sarawak. The " Oraiitj; Bnjanjrs^' appear to lie exenipr, from the paymeut of the revenue on the :.'rouiul that they are liable to he called out on Goveriiiaeut service, in former times on the oci-asion of -.var and later on any duties Governmont mis^lit think fit to iinposf", such as fell- inu: jiiiigle, ciearinj^ roads ic. &c. The latter duties are now of very rare ocourrence, some triln's have Hot been called out for the last ten or (iftoen years, and irreat difficulty is even (!X|u;rionced with those called on, in iicrsua(iini' the mining districts. The subf^titution of ati exoinprion tax on the unmarried men in lien of Government duties cannot therefore 1)6 considered a grievance, as Government is simply resuming .it« rijrhts. The payment of ^ passug of paddy in place bf the present revenue ot H passiis ol rice would be no iij^-ease on the tax and would not press "u the people 9 passUs of !)a(ldy being but a fair equivalent hero of 3 passns rice before cleaning. The Dyaks maintain that 2 jjassus ofpnddyis but the ecpiivalent of one passus if rici.'. this is incorrect, for their paddy is not all first <'lass fpialityan.l the above estimate i.< ba:>ed on the average. Acoonling to Dyak (.'ustoni. the men do not cleM'.i tltc paddy. thi\ whole labour there- fore devolves on the v/omeu and .uirls, and wIipu a family consists ofiHily a husband, wife :ind child, as is oi'ten the case, the toil falls heavy on the weaker members of the c;;mm unity. If paddy were substituted for rice as the exemption rax due to Government, the only incrc;!se of labour would be (tarrying the extra weight of paddy as against rice to the pangkalau from the village, but this would be the duty of the men, and as a Dyak can and does carry 3 pafsus of grain in one load, the change would make little dirtcronce. Tiie 1 passu extra for permitting the tax to be paid up river, would be hailed n a boon by all Dyak tribes, except perhaps those of .'Sumban and Tabiab on the Souther and Gumbang and Tringus on the Western branch of tlie Sarawak river. With thes would be hailed as lern , _ „ „ ., „ _ _ __ . ose tribes .-jituated as they arc, on the head waters of the river, some specuil arrangement miirht be come to. With reference to the revenue to be paid by the unmarried men, tiie •'hujangs"' having no wives or chililren to assist them, one half of the tax claimed from the "'laki bini," or say 5 passus (to include the delivery of the paddy) would suffice. A clear ycar'rf notice should be given to the mimarried men that it was the intention cents =^/)40. 15. Deduct loss, waste, de[)reciation &c., Bay 8 passus ])cr koyan, 80 passus at Ca cents, „ ry2. 00 Ssinglu revenue in ]S7o, if paid in rice ... ... ... "4;488.ir) The 2770 pa.ssas of paddy would realize at 30 ceut.«- ... ... $8ol.00 Parldy will always sell at abt.vo pric.' in Kuc.hihg the jircsent rate is :-5o cents and little offering, and there is no lo.ss on jmiidy a.=* on rice. Thi::^ isbut the gain ou one village, I. leave ir to Your Highness tojudge what would be the toul gain if all the trilies on rhe western and .southern branches paid'"in paddv. Ill the above calculation the bacjlielors are nor included, l)ut estimating the nunibcr of '-bujaugs"'' iU. the same ligure as the "hiwang.s," wliich will probably be°fonnd below the average, we shall have in addition to the above. 277 "'bujiing.x" ar r> i)a>.and ])yak district. Tlie Dyaks would be forced to plant and cultivation would eitend. ^'ery few of the Land Dyak tribe* now pay ilieir entire revenue in rice, they eke out thei" rice M'itli money ])ay:nenvs, and iliest; are I'aised by ueglecting their farms, and in ougaging in any stray erniiloymenr, either in the way of .seeking .jungle produce, or working in a desultory manner for Malays and (Jhinese. If any tribe posses.ses bird's-nests, they invariably become more indolent, and the upshot, of all is that we find year after year, short crops as the order of the day, and rice cultivation becoming less and less. Manv Dyaks who marry, evade paying revenue when the exemption tax become due, by puttiiif: away their wives and claimin/' and therefore embraces ail the married people in the house. Slumld the Government require rioo for its own use, or should it still bo deemed necessary to clean a certain proportion ior sale, this might be dune without any expense, a* a common machine similar to that in general use among tlie (Jhiuese, v.'ould turn out ;')() passns of rice per diem, and it could bo worked by a couj.ile nt prisoners. At the panic time I cannot help pointing out that Singapore rice can be purchased almost if not quite as cheap as that of Sarawak, taking into consideration the superior qnality and the time it can be kept, it being hard not soft like Dyak rice, while it has the advantage of being packed in bags, and is therefore convenient for transport and storage. _7in)ENlS0N. Kuching, 12th July, 1875. , Assistant Resident [j])per Sarawak. Sararvak Gazetta, IQth September, IST"). jSTOTIFICATION. On and after the 7th Sei>tomber, .1;>7.'). Tiie Dyak Revenue throughout Sarawak. Proper, will be paid at the following rate per annum. Married man Paddy 8 pa.ssus, or the equivalent in rice 3 passns or cash $3. JBachelors over the age of 1(5, and rich widows, one half the amount. By order,— W. M. CROCKED, Adinr/ ResidenL 96