124 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



boat some few minutes longer, and then makes his 

 way into the gallery, followed by most of his men, 

 who leave their spears and shields in the boats. If 

 the visitor is an intimate friend, the chief of the 

 house will send a son or brother to welcome him, 

 or will even go himself. Arrived in the gallery,' 

 the visitor advances to the central platform where 

 the chief of the house awaits him, unstrings his 

 sword from his waist, hangs it upon any convenient 

 hook, and sits down beside his host; while his 

 men, following his example, seat themselves with 

 the men of the house in a semicircle facing the 

 two chiefs. The followers may greet, and even 

 embrace, or grasp by the forearm, their personal 

 friends ; but the demeanour of the chiefs is more 

 formal. Neither one utters a word or glances at 

 the other for some few minutes ; the host remains 

 seated, fidgeting with a cigarette and gazing upon 

 the ^ floor ; the visitor sitting beside him looks 

 stolidly over the heads of his followers, and perhaps 

 clears his throat or coughs. Presently a woman 

 thrusts into the semicircle a tray of freshly made 

 cigarettes. One of the men of the house pushes 

 it forward towards the principal visitor, who makes 

 a sign of acceptance by lightly touching the tray ; 

 the other, crouching on his heels, lights a cigarette 

 with an ember from the fire, blowing it into a glow 

 as he waddles up to present it to the visiting chief. 

 The latter takes it, but usually allows it to go out. 

 By this time the chief of the house is ready to open 

 the conversation, and, after clearing his throat, 

 suddenly throws out a question, usually, ''Where 

 did you start from to-day.^" The embarrassing 

 silence thus broken, question and answer are freely 

 exchanged, the cigarette of the visitor is again 

 lighted at the fire by a member of the household, 

 and conversation becomes general. Not infre- 

 quently the host, becoming more and more friendly, 



