230 COSTUME OF THE SAGAIS. [1845. 



at Gunung Taboor, a fine athletic and jovial character, 

 the blue eye, sandy hair and freckled complexion, 

 reminded me much of our Scottish Highlanders. They 

 are very fond of ornament, and in most cases seem to 

 regard them as shielding some part of the frame from 

 injury in battle, they are therefore useful as well as orna- 

 mental. 



Of these, the ear-rings occupy a prominent feature ; 

 they are large rings of white metal, apparently lead or tin, 

 generally four through the lobe in each ear, being about an 

 inch and a half in diameter, and about Aths in thickness. 

 The upper part of the ear is also perforated, and a tiger's 

 tooth passed through it, hangs down to cover the rings. 

 They explained that by turning two rings up above the 

 ear and toggling, or keying, it with the Tiger's tooth, it 

 would resist the blow of a parang, and save loss of life. 

 The head-dress is usually composed of monkey skin, capped 

 by a brazen ridge with about three inches side projections, 

 forming altogether a picturesque helmet, surmounted by 

 feathers of the Argus Pheasant, Toucan, or other birds. 

 The fighting dress is composed of a quilted scarlet jacket 

 occasionally trimmed with yellow tape. The loins are pro- 

 tected by a thickly matted tail-piece which corresponds 

 to the skirts of a fashionable coat, and serve to protect 

 that region from the arrows of the sumpitan ; add to this 

 the shield, sumpitan, and parang, and you have, with the 

 athletic form within, the Sagai or Jdaan liis region, 

 estimated to amount in number, on the banks ot the 

 Bulungan, to sixty thousand men. 



The parang of Eastern Borneo differs very materially 

 from the kris ; it is very slender at the handle, which is 



