242 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



than the Kayans ; and a decoration commonly found 

 in their houses is a frieze running along the top 

 of the main partition wall of the house, bearing 

 in low relief an animal design, painted in red and 

 black, which is called Bali Sungei (i.e. water-spirit) 

 or Naga. The latter name is known to all the 

 tribes, and is probably of foreign origin ; and it 

 seems possible that the design and this name are 

 derived from the dragon forms so commonly used 

 in Chinese decorative art. 



The various Klemantan tribes make use of 

 many decorative designs very similar to those of 

 the Kayans. Different animal forms predominant 

 among the different tribes, e.g. among the Long 



Fig. 58. Fig. 59. Fig. 60. 



Pokuns the form of the gibbon and of the sacred ape 

 {Seminopitkecus Hosei) are chiefly used in house 

 decoration. Among the Sebops and Barawans the 

 human figure predominates ; the Malanaus make 

 especially elaborate crocodile images in solid wood. 

 The tombs of some of the Klemantans are very 

 massive and elaborately decorated. The Tanjongs 

 and Kanowits and Kalabits, who excel in basket- 

 work, introduce a variety of patterns in black, red, 

 and white. The majority of these are simple 

 geometrical designs which arise naturally out of the 

 nature of the material ; of more elaborate designs 

 specially common are the hook-pattern (Fig. 58), 

 the pigeon's eye (Fig. 59), and the caterpillar 

 (Fig. 60). 



In wealth of decorative designs the I bans 



