THE NOMAD HUNTERS ,187 



similar to those of Kenyahs and some of the 

 Klemantans. Their account of the journey of the 

 dead includes the passage of a river guarded by a 

 great fish and a hornbill (see Chap. XIV.). But they 

 practice no burial and no funeral rites. As soon as 

 a man dies in any camp, the whole community 

 moves on to a new camp, leaving his body under 

 one of their rude shelters, covered only with a few 

 leaves and branches. 



Their view of the life after death seems to 

 involve no system of retribution and to be wellnigh 

 devoid of moral significance. Their religious beliefs 

 probably influence their conduct less strongly than 

 do those of the Kayans ; for among the latter such 

 beliefs certainly make strongly for social conduct, 

 i.e, for obedience to the chiefs and for observance of 

 custom and public opinion ; but in the Punan 

 community the conditions of life are so simple and 

 so nearly in harmony with the impulses of the 

 natural man that temptations to wrong-doing are few 

 and weak ; external sanctions of conduct, therefore, 

 are but little needed and but little operative. 



Danger assails the Punan on every side and at 

 all times, hence alertness, energy, and courage are 

 the prime virtues ; courage is rated highest, and a 

 woman looks especially for courage in her husband. 

 But though courageous and active, Punans are not 

 pugnacious ; as was said above, they rarely or never 

 fight against one another, and the nomadic groups 

 of each region maintain friendly relations with one 

 another. Within each group harmony and mutual 

 helpfulness is the rule ; each shares with all members 

 of the group whatever food, whether vegetable or 

 animal, he may procure by skill or good fortune. 

 On returning to camp with a piece of game, a Punan 

 throws it down in the midst and it is treated as 

 common property. If he has slain a large pig or 

 deer, too heavy for him to bring in unaided, he 



