CHAP. X WAR 159 



possessing heads for use in the funeral rites are for 

 them the principal grounds of warfare ; and these 

 are generally combined, the avenging of injuries 

 being generally postponed, sometimes for many 

 years, until the need for new heads arises. Though 

 an old dried head will serve all the purposes of the 

 rites performed to terminate a period of mourning, 

 yet it is felt that a fresh head (or heads) is more 

 desirable, especially in the case of mourning for an 

 important chief. 



When an old head is used in these rites, it is 

 customary to borrow it from another house or 

 village, and it is brought to the house by a party of 

 warriors in the full panoply of war, who behave 

 both on setting out and returning as though actually 

 on the war-path. 



It may be said generally that Kayans seldom or 

 never wage war on Kayans, and seldom attack 

 others merely to secure heads or in sheer vain- 

 glory, as the I bans not infrequently do. Nor do 

 they attack others merely in order to sustain their 

 prestige, as is sometimes done by the Kenyahs, 

 who in this respect carry to an extreme the principle 

 that attack is the most effective mode of defence. 



War is generally undertaken by the Kayans 

 very deliberately, after much preparation and in 

 large well- organised parties, ranging in numbers 

 from fifty to a thousand or more warriors, made up 

 in many cases from several neighbouring villages, 

 and under the supreme command of one chief of 

 acknowledged eminence. 



The weapons and war-dress are similar among all 

 the peoples. The principal weapon is the sword known 

 as parang Hang, or malat, a heavy blade (PI. 91) 

 of steel mounted in a handle of horn or hardwood. 

 The blade, about twenty-two inches in length, has 

 the cutting edge slightly bowed and the blunt back 

 edge slightly hollowed. The edges diverge slightly 



