i8o PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



in friendly talk with strangers, even those whom 

 they have every reason to trust, they prefer to 

 remain squatting on their heels, rather than to sit 

 down on a mat ; and the tension of their muscles, 

 combined with the still alert watchfulness of their 

 faces, conveys the impression that they are ready to 

 leap up and flee away or to struggle for their lives at 

 any moment. It is doubtless this alertness of facial 

 expression and bodily attitude that gives the Punan 

 something of the air of an untameable wild animal. 



In spite of his distrustful expression the Punan 

 is a likeable person, rich in good qualities and 

 innocent of vices. He never slays or attacks men 

 of other tribes wantonly ; he never seeks or takes 

 a head, for his customs do not demand it ; and he 

 never goes upon the warpath, except when occasion- 

 ally he joins a war-party of some other tribe in order 

 to facilitate the avenging of blood. But he will 

 defend himself and his family pluckily, if he is 

 attacked and has no choice of flight ; and, if any one 

 has killed one of his relatives, he will seek an oppor- 

 tunity of planting a poisoned dart in his body. In 

 a case of this kind all the Punans of a large area 

 will aid one another in obtaining certain information 

 as to the identity of the offender ; and any one of them 

 will avenge the injury to his people, if the opportunity 

 presents itself. They do not avenge themselves 

 indiscriminately on all or any member of the 

 offender's village or family, but they will postpone 

 their vengeance for years, if the actual offender cannot 

 be reached more promptly. It seems worth while 

 to recount a particular instance of Punan vengeance. 

 The Punans of the Tinjar basin were claimed by a 

 Sebop chief; that is to say, the chief, Jangan by 

 name, regarded them as under his protection and 

 as therefore under an obligation to trade with him 

 and his people only. But the Pokun people in the 

 basin of a neighbouring river, the Balaga, a tributary 



