36 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



in small groups of twenty or thirty persons, which 

 wander in the jungle. Each such group is generally 

 made up of a chief and his descendants. The 

 group will spend a few weeks or months at a time 

 in one spot (to which generally they are attracted 

 by the presence of wild sago), dwelling in rude 

 shelters of sticks and leaves, aud then moving on, 

 but generally remaining within some one area, 

 such as the basin of one of the upper tributaries 

 of a large river. They are found throughout the 

 interior of Borneo, but are difficult to meet with, 

 as they remain hidden in the depths of the forests. 

 Unlike all the other peoples, they cultivate no padi 

 (rice), and they do not make boats or travel on the 

 rivers. They support themselves by hunting with 

 the blow-pipe, by gathering the wild jungle fruits, 

 and by collecting the jungle products and bartering 

 them with the more settled peoples. In physical 

 characters they closely resemble the Kenyahs, being 

 well-built and vigorous ; their skin is of very light 

 yellow colour, and their features are regular and 

 well shaped. Mentally they are characterised by 

 extreme shyness and timidity and reserve. They 

 are quite inoffensive and never engage in open 

 warfare; though they will avenge injuries by stealthy 

 attacks on individuals with the blow-pipe and 

 poisoned darts. Their only handicrafts are the 

 making of baskets, mats, blow-pipes, and the 

 implements used for working the wild sago ; but 

 in these and in the use of the blow-pipe they are 

 very expert. All other manufactured articles used 

 by them — cloths, swords, spears — are obtained by 

 barter from the other peoples. Unlike all the other 

 peoples, they have no form of sepulture, but simply 

 leave the corpse of a comrade in the rude shelter 

 in which he died. They sing and declaim rude 

 melancholy songs or dirges with peculiar skill and 

 striking effect. Their language is distinctive, but 



