418 THE SAOHAI DYAKS. 



drew nearer, however, the boats became very numerous, 

 some containing hunting and fishing parties, and others 

 fully equipped for war. Among the most striking of 

 these latter, were several long and narrow canoes, manned 

 entirely by Dyaks, arrayed in all their savage finery of 

 plumes and skins and beads and other uncouth orna- 

 ments, armed invariably with the blowpipe or sumpitan, 

 and carrying quivers of sumpits, or small upas-poisoned 

 arrows, a long light spear, a shield of wood, and their 

 constant companion, the sharp -edged parang ; being thus 

 prepared, as they thought, either for attack or defence. 

 Displaying in their manner neither the guile nor caution 

 of the treacherous and wily Malay, these untutored deni- 

 zens of the interior showed an evident and lively curiosity 

 about our visit, striving to approach the boats and engage 

 in conversation with the white man. As they propel 

 their narrow canoes rapidly along the river, they always 

 stand upright, using the paddle with a peculiar jerking 

 motion of the body. Many among them, particularly 

 those holding the rank of chieftains, were very gaily and 

 fantastically ornamented. In the feather caps, worn by 

 some, the long tail-feathers of the Argus pheasant 

 appeared to be a favourite ornament. In the rude and 

 showy head-dresses of several were toupees of the tail- 

 feathers of cocks and other birds, giving these Orang 

 Saghai very much the appearance of a party of North 

 American Indians, dressed for the war-path. Many of 

 their caps were made of monkey, lynx, and tiger skins, 

 and adorned with the beak of the large Hornbill (Buceros 

 Rhinoceros.} Some of the men were regularly tattooed 

 being ornamented, more particularly on the fore-arm and 



