I40 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



their agility to avoid the spikes with which some of 

 the fish are armed. Large quantities of fish are 

 sometimes taken in this way ; what cannot be eaten 

 fresh are dried and smoked over the fires in the 

 house. 



While the tuba fishing is being arranged and the 

 preparations are going forward, great care is taken 

 to avoid mentioning the word tuba, and all references 

 to the fish are made in oblique phrases, such as 

 '' The leaves {i.e. the fishes) can't float over this 

 fence." This precaution is observed because it is 

 believed that the birds and the bats can understand 

 human speech, and may, if they overhear remarks 

 about the preparations, give warning to their friends 

 the fish, whose magician ^ (a bony fish called belira), 

 will then make rain, and, by thus swelling the 

 river, prevent the successful poisoning of the water. 



Tickling is also practised with success, the men 

 standing in the edge of a lake among the grass and 

 sedges, where the fish seek cooler water in the heat 

 of the day. 



All the methods of taking fish described above 

 are practised by most of the peoples, except of 

 course the use of the drag-net in the sea. 



The crocodiles, which are numerous in the 

 lower reaches of the rivers, are not hunted or 

 attacked, save on provocation, by any of the peoples 

 of Borneo except the Malays.^ Occasionally a 

 bather is seized by one of them while in the 

 water or standing on a log floating in deep water ; 

 and more rarely a person is dragged out of a 

 small boat, while drifting quietly on deep water 

 at evening. If men and boats are at hand they 

 turn out promptly to attack the crocodile, if it 

 rises to the surface ; but there is small chance 

 of rescue. If the victim has sufficient presence 

 of mind and strength to thrust his thumbs against 



1 See Chap. XVII. 2 gee Chap. XV. 



