422 DYAKS. 



Indians, they also congregate in tribes, and only obey 

 chiefs elected from the wisest and bravest of their horde. 

 Although in a measure addicted to the chase, they yet 

 cultivate the soil, and live upon the produce of the earth. 

 Like the Indians of the West, they are fond of decorating 

 themselves with feathers and trophies, and if they do not 

 scalp their enemies, they deprive them of their heads. 

 Amongst themselves they are quiet and gentle, but in 

 war their passions are frightful, fierce, and vengeful. 



The females are better treated than is generally the 

 case in savage tribes ; they grind the padi and fabricate 

 the clothing ; nor does the whole burden of tilling the 

 ground devolve entirely on the weaker sex, as is the case 

 in some countries not yet civilised. In the terrible ex- 

 citement of war, the fierce yells of the Dyaks, like the 

 whoops of the Red-Man, are demoniac. Instead of the 

 quiver and bow, the tomahawk and scalping-knife, the 

 Dyak arms himself with sumpitan and sumpits, spear, 

 and parang. They attack their enemy in the dead of 

 night, without even the fair warning of the red-tomahawk 

 of the American Indian, and with equally as much guile 

 and remorseless compunction. It is a somewhat remark- 

 able fact, that many among the Dyaks fancy heaven is 

 situated at the top of Kini-Balu, and that the pass is 

 defended by a savage dog. The North American Indians 

 likewise imagine their land of souls to be guarded by a 

 furious dog. It is singular that the Greeks of old should 

 have entertained a similar notion, the warder, old Cer- 

 berus, at the gates of Hades, being represented as a three- 

 headed dog. The Dyaks believe in one God, whom they, 

 like the Red-Man, regard as the creating and preserving 



