234 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



of the Dyaks and ]\Ialays. Finally, the Bajaus, a race of 

 Malays who have been well described as the " Sea- 

 gipsies " of the archipelago, are well known in most of 

 the creeks and rivers of the island. 



Dyak is the generic name applied to the wild tribes 

 which were found living on the island when the Malays 

 first settled upon its shores. Whether they are the 

 aboriginal inhabitants, or whether they were preceded by 

 a Negrito race, it is impossible to say. It is quite pos- 

 sible that the latter may be the case, and that they are 

 the descendants of a former immigrant pre -Malayan 

 horde who overwhelmed a yet earlier race. They 

 are divided into innumerable tribes, speaking distinct 

 languages, forming distinct political units, and, in the 

 wilder parts of the countr}^, engaged in constant inter- 

 tribal warfare. I'hysically, these people differ little from 

 the Malays except in being somewhat lighter, taller, and 

 more active, and they are generally of a more cheerful 

 and child-like disposition. In point of civilisation they 

 vary considerably. Some are described as exceedingly 

 low in the social scale, living, like the Lubus and other 

 Sumatran tribes, as forest vagrants, building no houses, 

 but only temporary shelters. Others, like some of the 

 Milanaus, are almost as civilised as the Malays. But in 

 this respect Borneo is far behind Sumatra, for while in 

 the latter island several of the tribes have separately 

 and independently invented writing, with rather complex 

 alphabets, no instance of this kind is known in Borneo. 

 The majority of the Dyaks are heathen, but in many 

 places contact with the Malays has converted them to 

 Islamism. Tattooing is very generally practised, and it 

 is a favourite custom to wear a quantity of brass ear-rings, 

 so that the lobe of the ear becomes enormously dilated, and 

 hangs almost on the shoulder. The Milanaus cause the 



