246 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



Sebops, the Lirongs, the Uma Longs, the Pengs 

 or Pinihings, show more affinity with the Kenyahs. 

 It seems probable that these diversities have 

 resulted from the assimilation of culture directly 

 from the Kayans by the one group and from the 

 Kenyahs by the other. A third group of Klemantan 

 tribes such as the Long Kiputs, the Batu Blah, 

 and the Trings, scattered through the northern part 

 of the island, resemble more nearly the Muruts ; 

 and among these are found communities whose 

 culture marks them as descendants of nomads who 

 have assimilated the Murut culture in various 

 degrees. 



The Muruts 



The Muruts differ somewhat as regards physical 

 features from all the other tribes, especially in 

 having coarser but less Mongoloid features, a 

 longer skull, and a more lanky build of body and 

 limbs. Their intonation is nasal, and the colour 

 of the skin slightly darker and ruddier than that of 

 the Klemantans. 



Their culture differs so much as to lead us to 

 suppose that it had a somewhat different origin 

 from that of the Kayans. They build long houses ; 

 but these are comparatively flimsy structures, and 

 they are often situated at a distance from any 

 navigable stream. Even those Muruts who live 

 on the river-banks make much less use of boats 

 than the other tribes, and all of them are great 

 walkers. They have very little skill in boat-making. 

 Their most distinctive peculiarity is their system of 

 agriculture (see vol. i. p. 97), which involves irriga- 

 tion, the use of buffalo, the raising of two crops a 

 year, and the repeated use in successive years of 

 the same land. Other distinctive features are their 

 peculiar long sword and short spear ; the absence 

 of any axe and blow-pipe ; the custom according to 



