226 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



metal blade is laid upon the distal surface of this 

 block and lashed firmly to it with fine strips of rattan. 

 A piece of skin is often placed between the metal 

 and the lashings ; this facilitates the removal of the 

 blade, and enables the craftsman to alter the angle 

 between the cutting edge and the haft. Commonly 

 the blade is laid in the plane of the haft, and the 

 implement is then what we should call a small axe ; 

 on turning the blade through 90°, it is converted 

 to a small adze ; and not infrequently the blade 

 is turned through a smaller angle, so that its plane 

 forms an acute angle with that of the haft. 



Carved woodwork is commonly painted with 

 black and red paint, prepared respectively from 

 soot and iron oxide mixed with sugar-cane juice 

 or with lime ; the moist pigment is applied with the 

 finger on larger surfaces, and the finer lines and 

 edges are marked out with the aid of a chiseU 

 edged stick of wood. 



Be AD WORK 



Old beads are much valued and sought after by 

 all the tribes except I bans, especially by the 

 Kayans. There are few families of the upper class 

 that do not possess a certain number of them. 



Many varieties are well known, and some of the 

 Kayan women are very expert in recognising the 

 genuine old specimens, and in distinguishing these 

 varieties from one another and from modern 

 imitations. 



Formerly these old beads were one of the 

 principal forms of currency, and they still constitute 

 an important part of the wealth of many families. 



Most of these valuable old beads are of foreign 

 manufacture, though a few made from shell and 

 agate are of the country. The old foreign -made 

 beads were probably imported by Arab and 



