VIII 



LIFE ON THE RIVERS 141 



the eyes of the reptile it may release him, escape 

 in this way is not unknown. In the case of 

 a fatal issue, the men of the village turn out to 

 avenge the outrage, and, in the case of the seizure 

 of an important person, those of neighbouring 

 villages will join them. All available boats are 

 manned by men armed with spears, some of which 

 are lashed to the ends of long poles. Congregating 

 in their boats near the scene of the disaster, the 

 men prod the bed of the river with their spears, 

 working systematically up and down river and up 

 the small side streams. In this way they succeed 

 in stabbing some of the reptiles ; and in this case, 

 though they usually do not rise to the surface, their 

 bodies are found after some days in the creeks, 

 death having ensued from the inflammation set up in 

 the wounds. The wound caused by a spear-thrust 

 would seldom be fatal to the crocodile, but that the 

 wound is liable to the perpetual assaults of smaller 

 creatures — fish while he is in the water, flies when 

 he lies on the bank. These irritate and extend the 

 wound. The stomachs of those crocodiles that are 

 captured are opened in search of traces of the person 

 taken, traces which usually remain there for some 

 time in the shape of hair or ornaments. If no trace 

 is found the people s vengeance is not satisfied, and 

 they set baited hooks, or pay Malays to do so, 

 partly because the Malays are experts and claim to 

 have potent charms to bring the offender to the 

 hook, partly because a Kayan does not care to 

 take upon himself the individual responsibility of 

 catching a crocodile, though he does not shrink 

 from the collective pursuit. The decaying body of 

 a fowl, monkey, or other animal (Malays sometimes 

 use a living dog) is bound to a strong bar of hard- 

 wood, sharpened at both ends and some fifteen inches 

 in length. A number of small rattans are tied to 

 the bar about its middle, their other ends being 



