78 Borneo. 



against foot, and a stout stick grasped by both their hands. 

 Each then tried to throw himself back, so as to raise his ad- 

 versary np from the ground, either by main strength or by a 

 sudden effort. Then one of the men would try his strength 

 against two or three of the boys ; and afterward they each 

 grasped their own ankle with a hand, and while one stood as 

 firm as he could, the other swung himself round on one leg, 

 so as to strike the other's free leg, and try to overthrow him. 

 When these games had been played all round with varying 

 success, we had a novel kind of concert. Some placed a leg 

 across the knee and struck the fingers sharply on the ankle, 

 others beat their arms against their sides like a cock when 

 he is going to crow, thus making a great variety of clapping 

 sounds, while another Avith his hand under his arm-pit pro- 

 duced a deep trumpet-note ; and as they all kept time very 

 well, the effect was by no means unpleasing. This seemed 

 quite a favorite amusement with them, and they kept it up 

 with much spirit. 



The next morning we started in a boat about thirty feet 

 long, and only twenty-eight inches wide. The stream here 

 suddenly changes its character. Hitherto, though swift, it 

 had been deep and smooth, and confined by steep banks. 

 Now it rushed and rippled over a pebbly, sandy, or rocky 

 bed, occasionally forming miniature cascades and rapids, and 

 throwing up on one side or the other broad banks of finely- 

 colored pebbles. No paddling could make way here, but the 

 Dyaks with bamboo poles propelled us along with great dex- 

 terity and swiftness, never losing their balance in such a nar- 

 row and unsteady vessel, though standing up and exerting all 

 their force. It was a brilliant day, and the cheerful exertions 

 of the men, the rushing of the sparkling waters, with the 

 bright and varied foliage which from either bank stretched 

 over our heads, produced an exhilarating sensation which re- 

 called my canoe voyages on the grander waters of South 

 America. 



Early in the afternoon we reached the village of Borotoi, 

 and, though it would have been easy to reach the next one 

 before night, I was obliged to stay, as my men wanted to re- 

 turn, and others could not possibly go on with me without 

 the preliminary talking. Besides, a white man was too great 



