XX PECULIARITIES 219 



obscure way ; e.^^. such a story may terminate before 

 the critical point is reached with some such phrase 

 as '* Well, well, what of it ? " and a shrug of the 

 shoulders. 



The tendency of the Kayans to laconic speech 

 is well illustrated by their way of referring to well- 

 known stories or fables with one or two words, in 

 order to sum up or characterise a situation — much 

 as we say '* sour grapes ! " 



Like all other varieties of mankind (some few 

 savage tribes perhaps excepted), the Kayans and 

 other tribes are apt to distort the truth in their own 

 favour, in describing from memory incidents that 

 seriously affect their interests. When a party has 

 allowed itself to commit some reprehensible action, 

 such as over-hasty and excessive reprisals, a whole 

 village, or even several villages, may conspire 

 together more or less deliberately to **rig up " some 

 plausible version of the affair which may serve to 

 excuse or justify the act in the eyes of the govern- 

 ment. A good Penghulu^ will set about the 

 investigation of such an affair with much tact and 

 patience. He will send for those immediately 

 concerned and patiently hear out their version of the 

 incident. If it departs widely from the truth, he 

 will find reason to suspect the fact. But, instead of 

 charging the men with untruthfulness, or attempt- 

 ing to extort the truth by threats, or bullying, or 

 torture (as is so often done in more highly civilised 

 courts), he keeps silence, shrugs his shoulders, and 

 tells them to go away and think it over, and to 

 come back another day with a better story. In 

 the meantime he hears the version of some other 

 group, who view the affair from a different angle, 

 and thus puts himself in a position to suggest 

 modifications of the new version of the former 

 group. When he has in this way gathered in a 



^ See vol. ii. p. 272. 



