2IO PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



diversity of plan is exhibited by the houses of Ibans. 

 An Iban community seldom remains in the same 

 house more than three or four years ; it is, no 

 doubt, partly on this account that their houses are 

 built in a less solid style than those of most other 

 tribes. The timbers used are lighter ; the house is 

 not raised so high above the ground, and the floor 

 is usually made of split bamboo in place of the 

 heavy planks used by Kayans and others. The 

 plan of construction is less regular. The numerous 

 slight supporting piles pass through the floor of 

 the gallery in all sorts of odd positions ; the only 

 part that is kept clear of them being a narrow 

 gangway that runs from end to end of the house ; 

 it adjoins the private chambers, and is about four 

 feet in width ; it is called tempuan. 



Some of the Klemantans make houses very 

 inferior to those of the Kayans in respect to size, 

 solidity, and regularity of construction ; lashed 

 bamboos largely replace the strongly morticed tim- 

 ber-work of the better houses ; but the worst 

 houses of all are made by those Punans who have 

 recently adopted the agriculture and settled habits 

 of the other peoples. 



Other Kinds of Wood-working 



The building of houses and the shaping of boats 

 are by far the most important kinds of wood- work- 

 ing ; but there are many small articles of wood in 

 the making of which much skill and ingenuity are 

 displayed. Among these the shields and parang- 

 sheaths deserve special mention. The former have 

 been described in Chapter X. 



The sword-sheath is made from two slips of 

 hard wood, cut to fit together exactly, leaving a 

 space accurately shaped for the lodgment of the 

 sword-blade. The two slips are neatly lashed 



