172 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



not be worn by the bride before the naming of her 

 first child ; (4) light blue beads (krutang) ; (5) dark 

 blue beads {tobi). Each of these sets of beads is 

 held to ensure to the bride the enjoyment of some 

 moral good. The girl also sends a string of beads 

 to her lover by the hand of his best man, and at 

 last the date is fixed, due regard being paid to the 

 phases of the moon ; new moon is considered the 

 most favourable time of the month. The importance 

 ascribed to the phase of the moon seems to arise 

 from the fact that the shape of the half- moon 

 suggests the state of pregnancy. Tally is kept by 

 both parties of the date agreed upon. On two 

 long strips of rattan an equal number of knots is 

 tied. Each party keeps one of these tallies (often 

 it is carried tied below the knee) and cuts off one 

 knot each morning ; when the last knot alone 

 remains, the appointed day is at hand. 



The parties on both sides invite the attendance 

 of their friends and relatives, who crowd the gallery 

 of the bride's house. Early in the morning the 

 bridegroom arrives with his best man and a party 

 of young friends in full war-dress ; they land from a 

 boat even though they have come but a few yards 

 by water. They march up to the house, some of 

 them carrying large brass gongs ; ascending the 

 ladder, they lay the gongs down the gallery from 

 the head of the ladder towards the door of the bride's 

 room at such intervals that the bride can step from 

 one to another. It is understood that these gongs 

 become the property of the bride and her parents. 

 Others of the bridegroom's band carry other articles 

 of value, and when the party reaches the door of 

 the bride's room, they parley with her parents and 

 friends who are gathered in the room, displaying 

 and offering these objects to the defenders of the 

 room as inducements to admit them. They strive 

 also to push open the door. Presently the men of 



