7 6 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



proceeded originally from super- 

 stitious motives; but ultimately it 

 became a fashion, and every one de- 

 sired to have skulls, just as in 

 England people like to collect old 

 china or ancient armour to decorate 

 the ancestral hall. Owing to the 

 innate idleness of the Malays, blood- 

 feuds gradually ceased, and head- 

 hunting became a less dangerous, and 

 consequently more popular, amuse- 

 ment. A lazy Dya would catch a 

 man asleep in order to take his head 

 off, or he would prowl about the 

 paddy-fields, awaiting his opportunity 

 to fall upon one or two helpless 

 women and children. The people are 

 too lazy to avenge the death even 

 of a relation killed in this way, and 

 Michaelsen says: "Only once has 

 it occurred that a Dya of Serajen, 

 whose daughter had been murdered 

 by ahead-hunter of Katingen, followed 

 the murderer, and cut his head off 

 actually at the festival which was 

 being held in his honour. The deed 

 caused such terror that the man who 

 dared to do such a thing in vengeance 

 for his child was allowed to depart 

 unhindered with the decapitated 

 head." 



Dyas conduct their head-hunting 

 operations in a very systematic way. 

 They begin by a religious consecra- 

 tion. They construct a hut on four 



posts; the entrance is barred with coils of rattan, hung with red flowers, palm leaves, and 

 many little wooden counterfeit swords, spears, shields, etc. Inside the place is decorated 

 with spears, blow-guns, freshly poisoned arrows, and other arms. The company stay here for 

 several days before setting out, and consult the omens. No one not belonging to their 

 number is allowed to approach the hut, and any man attempting to do so renders himself 

 liable to a heavy fine, or even to death. 



The position of women among the Malays is not very low, and those who are Moslems 

 treat their women-folk better than the heathen Malays do. Speaking of the island of Timor 

 Laut, Riedl says: "The husband never beats the wife; it is quite the other way." In all 

 respects the woman is highly valued, and a man must pay a heavy price for a wife. 



The Malays of to-day are fond of submitting appeals to " the judgment of God " by 

 means of "ordeals." The commoner forms of ordeal -are by ducking, pulling a ring out of 

 boiling oil, and licking red-hot iron. Another form of ordeal is the " trial by candle," which 

 the Tagals borrowed from certain Christians. In this case a candle, having been duly con- 

 secrated, is solemnly lighted, and watched closely by the suspected persons, for if it should 

 bend towards one of them he is adjudged the guilty party. When two Igorottes quarrel, 

 the backs of their heads are scratched with sharp splinters of bamboo, and the one who loses 



A KANOWIT CHIEF. 



