1843.] ORATION OF THE DYAKS. 29 



furnishing us with important observations for its future 

 delineation. Here we found another ' Head-House/ 

 smaller and neater, but of inferior calibre to that at 

 Sarambo. On our return to the village in the evening, 

 we joined an assembly of the principal inhabitants in 

 which their chief, Meta, a compact and handsomely 

 formed young man about twenty-five years of age, 

 addressed a very energetic speech to Mr. Brooke, which 

 was interpreted to us. He commenced by expressing his 

 satisfaction, as well as that of his allies, at the interest 

 which Great Britain had been pleased to take in their 

 affairs, and bore witness of the increasing benefit they 

 derived from the residence of a man of such activity and 

 kindness of disposition as Mr. Brooke among them. 

 Formerly, the Dyaks effected the cultivation of their 

 territory at the risk of life, and half their strength was 

 expended in the village in the protection of their pro- 

 perty ; now, they were not only free from the piratical 

 incursions of their neighbour, but were able to visit their 

 " Great Friend" at Kuching in safety, and to supply their 

 wants from his stores. The oration was long and much 

 applauded, and those who knew the Dyak language 

 described it to be not only interesting but brilliantly 

 expressed ; the evening terminated with dancing and 

 singing on the part of the natives varied by that of my 

 gig's crew, and on the ensuing morning, after taking leave 

 of our Dyak friends, we returned to Siniavan and reached 

 Kuching the same evening, with the prospect of softer 

 repose than that afforded during the course of our eventful 

 excursion. 



The ' Samarang' was now ordered to prepare for sea, 



