XXII GOVERNMENT 303 



snapped at the bait. About forty of them descended 

 stealthily and then rushed upon the small party, 

 hoping to hunt down in the jungle all whom they could 

 not strike down on the spot, and thus to secure ten 

 heads and enjoy the frenzy of slaughter. The ten 

 decoys fled swiftly down the path, and the supporting 

 parties, guided by the yells of the Ibans, closed 

 in from both sides and fell upon them. A few of 

 the rebels were killed, without any fatal casualties 

 to the Resident's party. The rest fled through 

 the jungle and many of them were afterwards 

 arrested. Those who remained on the hill promptly 

 drew up the ladders and hurled down rocks. To 

 have carried the hill by storm would still have 

 been most difficult and costly, and, as it proved, a 

 needless feat. The Resident therefore contented 

 himself with destroying all the property of the 

 brigands that was within reach, including a number 

 of valuable jars and gongs which they had secreted 

 in a cave at the foot of the hill, and the fields of 

 young padi on which they were largely dependent 

 for their food-supply. For he well knew that this 

 procedure would render the spot hateful to the 

 Ibans ; for the scene of a disaster, especially one 

 where they have been worsted in fight, becomes an 

 object of superstitious dread. The Resident there- 

 fore led back his party by the way they had come, 

 dismissed them to their homes, and returned down 

 river to Sibu, after sending a command to those 

 remaining on the hill that they should present them- 

 selves forthwith at Kapit. The order was obeyed ; 

 fines, pledges, and compensations to relatives of their 

 victims were paid in ; and the principal men were 

 ordered to reside for a year in the neighbourhood of 

 Sibu Fort and afterwards to return to their native 

 districts. 



It should be added that these Ibans frankly 

 acknowledged that the Resident had been too clever 



