i82 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



domestic animals. They live entirely upon the wild 

 produce of the jungle, vegetable and animal. Of 

 the former, sago and a form of vegetable tallow 

 found in the seed of a tree {Shorea) are the most 

 important. Animals of all kinds are eaten, and are 

 secured principally by the aid of the blow-pipe and 

 poisoned darts, in the use of which the Punans are 

 very expert. The Punan dwelling is merely a rude 

 low shelter of palm leaves, supported on sticks to 

 form a sloping roof which keeps off the rain but 

 very imperfectly, and leaves the interior open on 

 every side.^ 



A Punan community consists generally of some 

 twenty to thirty adult men and women, and about 

 the same number of children. One of the older 

 men is recognised as the leader or chief He has 

 little formally defined authority, but rather the 

 authority only that is naturally accorded to age and 

 experience and to the fuller knowledge of the tribal 

 history and traditions that comes with age. His 

 sway is a very mild one ; he dispenses no substantial 

 punishments ; public opinion and tradition seem to 

 be the sole and sufficient sanctions of conduct among 

 these Arcadian bands of gentle wary wanderers. 

 Decisions as to the movements of the band are 

 arrived at by open discussion, in which the leader 

 will exercise an influence proportioned to his reputa- 

 tion for knowledge and judgment. He is mainly 

 responsible for the reading of the omens, and has 

 charge of the few and simple household gods — if that 

 lofty title may be given to the wooden image of a 

 crocodile and the bundle of charms attached to it 

 which are always to be seen in a Punan camp. 



If, in case of disagreement, one or more of the 



1 Some few communities of Punans live in the large caves of the limestone 

 mountains ; it seems possible that this is a survival of a very ancient custom 

 that preceded the making of shelters, however rude ; but we know of no facts 

 which can be regarded as supporting this view, save that we have found human 

 bones of uncertain age in several caves. Some of these caves have undoubtedly 

 been used as burial-places, possibly during epidemics of cholera or smallpox. 



