IV 



MATERIAL CONDITIONS 



6i 



occasions (PL 45). All these gongs are obtained 

 through traders from Bruni, China, and Java^J' 



Beside the gongs a Kayan house generally con- 

 tains, as the common property of the whole house- 

 hold, several long narrow drums (Fig. 10). Each 

 is a hollow cylinder of wood, constricted about its 

 middle, open at one end, and closed at the other 

 with a sheet of deer- skin. This is stretched 

 by means of slips of rattan attached to its edges, 

 and carried back to a stout rattan ring woven 

 about the constricted middle of the drum ; the 

 skin is tightened by inserting wedges under 

 this ring. 



w 



^ 



J^ 



Fig. 9. 



In most houses two or three small brass swivel 

 guns may be seen in the gallery, and a small stock 

 of powder for their service is usually kept by the 

 chief. They are sometimes discharged to salute 

 a distinguished visitor, and formerly played some 



Fig. 10. 



small part in repelling attacks. The domestic 

 animals of the Kayans are fowls, goats, pigs, and 

 dogs. The latter live in the house, the others run 

 free beneath and around the house. 



The material possessions of the other peoples 

 differ little from those of the Kayans. Almost 



