98 BoBNEO — The Dyaks. 



CHAPTER VI. 



BORNEO — THE DYAKS. 



The manners and customs of the aborigines of Borneo 

 have been described in great detail, and with much fuller in- 

 formation than I possess, in the writings of Sir James Brooke, 

 Messrs. Low, St. John, Johnson Brooke, and many others. I 

 do not propose to go over the ground again, but shall con- 

 fine myself to a sketch, from personal observation, of the gen- 

 eral character of the Dyaks, and of such physical, moral, and 

 social characteristics as have been less frequently noticed. 



The Dyak is closely allied to the Malay, and more remote- 

 ly to the Siamese, Chinese, and other Mongol races. All 

 these are characterized by a reddish-brown or yellowish- 

 brown skin of vaiious shades, by jet-black straight hair, by 

 the scanty or deficient beard, by the rather small and broad 

 nose and high cheek-bones ; but none of the Malayan races 

 have the oblique eyes which are characteristic of the more 

 typical Mongols. The average stature of the Dyaks is rath- 

 er more than that of the Malays, while it is considerably 

 under that of most Europeans. Their forms are well propor- 

 tioned, their feet and hands small, and they rai*ely or never 

 attain the bulk of body so often seen in Malays and Chinese. 



I am inclined to rank the Dyaks above the Malays in men- 

 tal capacity, while in moral character they are undoubtedly 

 superior to them. They are simple and honest, and become 

 the prey of the M.alay and Chinese traders, who cheat and 

 plunder them continually. They are more lively, more talka- 

 tive, less secretive, and less suspicious than the Malay, and are 

 therefore pleasanter companions. The Malay boys have lit- 

 tle inclination for active sports and games, which form quite 

 a feature in the life of the Dyak youths, who, besides out- 

 door games of skill and strength, possess a variety of in-door 

 amusements. One wet day, in a Dyak house, when a number 

 of boys and young men were about me, I thought to amuse 



