46 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



they were formerly in the habit of killing several 

 slaves at the tomb of a chief; and, since it was 

 believed that, if the victims died a violent death, 

 their souls would not go to the same place as the 

 dead chief, and would thus be of no service, they 

 were allowed to die from exposure to the sun while 

 bound to the tomb. Now that homicide is pro- 

 hibited, these people arrange a great cock-fight; 

 and there can be little doubt that the death of 

 many of the birds is felt to compensate in some 

 degree for the enforced abstention from homicide. 



The last case on record of the killing of a slave 

 at the entombment of a chief occurred about fifteen 

 years ago among the Orang Bukits (Klemantans) in 

 Bruni territory. The son of the dead chief (Datu 

 Gunong) went to Bruni city, and there bought an 

 aged slave from one of the principal officers of 

 state. The slave was kept in a bamboo cage until 

 the day of entombment, when he was killed, each 

 of the funeral guests inflicting a small wound with 

 a spear. His head was hung on the tomb. From 

 circumstantial accounts of this incident which 

 reached one of us, we infer that those who took 

 part in this brutal act were moved only by a sense 

 of duty and that the co-operation was repugnant to 

 all of them.^ 



Exorcism 



The Kayans, as well as most of the peoples, 

 regard madness as due to possession by an evil 

 spirit,^ but the Malanaus extend this theory to 

 many other forms of disease, and practise an 

 elaborate rite of exorcism. This will be described 

 in the chapter (XVI.) dealing with charms and 

 magical practices. 



1 The incident was reported by Dr. Hose to the British Consul at Bruni, 

 who entered an effective warning against repetitions of such acts. 



2 A dangerous madman is generally kept shut up in a large strong cage in 

 the gallery of the house. 



