INTRODUCTION. 7 



and mixed entirely with the latter. At present the banks 

 of the Kapoeas, from its mouth to Poetoes Sibau and of 

 the lower parts of the larger tributaries are populated al- 

 most exclusively by Malays , who form , with the largely 

 represented Chinese race, the mercantile element of the 

 population. The Dyaks, on the other hand , are principally 

 engaged in farming, though they produce little more than 

 is absolutely required for their own needs , and in gathering 

 the produce of the immense and almost inexhaustible forest , 

 especially rattan, India rubber, and resin from the Dammar- 

 tree. These products are bought up by Malay traders who 

 are in possession of the intermediate trade, and sold to 

 the Chinese merchants. These latter are the only great mer- 

 chants in West-Borneo , possessing important factories at 

 all the important places on the Kapoeas River, and ha- 

 ving their own steamers running weekly up and down 

 the river between Pontianak and Boenoet, and even across 

 the Chinese Sea to Singapore. 



The Dyaks live in very large houses built on high posts 

 about 15 — 20 feet above the ground, each house contain- 

 ing from ten to forty separate rooms for as many diffe- 

 rent families. In many cases a single house of this descrip- 

 tion forms the whole settlement, but generally two or 

 more houses are built close together, forming a so-called 

 kampong, which by preference is situated on a high river- 

 bank. Although head-hunting is far from being abandon- 

 ed amongst the Dyaks of the far interior, they are a 

 very good-natured people and very fond of fun , singing 

 and music, and their wedding- and harvest-festivals last a 

 whole week or even longer. But the best of all , especi- 

 ally for the travelling naturalist, is that they are very 

 honest and trustworthy people, who will never break an 

 engagement. Stealing seems to be absolutely unknown 

 amongst the Dyaks we have met with. They are excellent 

 paddlers and carriers, and I always preferred Dyak work- 

 men to Malay ones , though we had very willing and 

 useful men among the latter too. The principal food of 



Notes from the Leyden Museiain, Vol. XIX. 



