XIX THE NOMAD HUNTERS i8i 



of the Rejang, also claimed similar rights over the 

 Punans of the district. One of these Pokuns, a man 

 of the upper class, being angered by the adhesion 

 of the Punans to the chief Jangan and by their re- 

 fusal to trade with him, cut down one of them during 

 an altercation in the jungle, leaving him dead on the 

 spot. The companions of the murdered man retired, 

 and all the Punans deserted the neighbourhood of 

 the Pokuns. Some four years later the Pokun com- 

 munity migrated to the Tinjar ; and shortly after- 

 wards the murderer, thinking the whole matter was 

 forgotten, set out through the jungle with a small 

 party to seek to trade with another group of 

 Punans. While on the march he was struck in the 

 cheek (the favourite spot for the aim of the Punan 

 marksman) by a poisoned dart from an unseen 

 assailant and died within ten minutes. His com- 

 panions, remembering the incident of four years 

 before, suspected the Punans, but saw no trace 

 of any. 



The Punans confessed the act of vengeance to 

 Jangan, and he communicated the facts to the 

 Resident of the Baram district (C.H.), who happened 

 to be in the neighbourhood at the time. The Pokuns 

 wished to take vengeance on the Punans, and they 

 would undoubtedly have turned out in force to hunt 

 down and kill all the Punan men they could find, 

 but that the Resident forbade them to take action, 

 and enforced his command by threatening to burn 

 down their houses in their absence. It is only fair 

 to add that the Pokun chief recognised the justice 

 of this prohibition and showed no resentment. 



That the Punans will not allow the slaying of 

 any one of their number to go unavenged on the 

 person of the slayer is well known to all the people 

 of the country, and this knowledge does much to 

 give them immunity from attack. 



The Punans cultivate no crops and have no 



