THE SOCIAL SYSTEM 83 



easily obtained ; the marriage relation, being sur- 

 rounded with much less solemnity, is more easily 

 entered into and dissolved. Infidelity and mutual 

 agreement are the common occasions of divorce. 

 Either party can readily secure his or her freedom 

 by payment of a small fine. There are both men 

 and women who have married many times ; a tenth 

 husband or wife is not unknown ; and a marriage may 

 be dissolved within a week of its consummation. 



The Sea Dayak, like all the other peoples, regards 

 incest very seriously, and the forbidden degrees of 

 kinship are well understood and very similar to 

 those of Kayans. 



A Sea Dayak village consists in almost every 

 case of a single house, bat such houses are generally 

 grouped within easy reach of one another. Very 

 few slaves are to be found in their houses, since the 

 I bans usually take the heads of all their conquered 

 enemies rather than make slaves of them. 



Inheritance of Property 



At a man's death his property is divided between 

 his widow and children. But in order to prevent 

 the disputes, which often arise over the division of 

 inheritance, an old man may divide his property 

 before his death. The widow becomes the head of 

 the room, though a married son or daughter or 

 several unmarried children may share it with her. 

 She inherits all or most of the household utensils. 

 Such things as gongs and other brass ware, 

 weapons, war-coats, and boats, are divided equally 

 among the sons, the eldest perhaps getting a little 

 more than the others. The girls divide the old 

 beads, cloth, bead-boxes, and various trifles. The 

 male slaves go to the sons, the female slaves to the 

 daughters. Bird's nest caves and bee trees might 

 be divided or shared among all the children. 



