A LUCKY KILL. I 57 



" Now, look here ; you fancy I am going on a war 

 expedition, and you would like to accompany me to 

 assist in slicing off heads, but I assure you I am only 

 going hunting." 



" Ah tuan, we thought perhaps you might intend to 

 make war upon those evil-minded Bajows. If so, we 

 should have liked to help you. Hunting is nice, but 

 war is nicer." 



" I promise you this, if I go on a war expedition I 

 will let you know beforehand. Will that satisfy you ? " 



''Yes, thank you, tuan." 



The Dyaks are the most interesting race in the East. 

 They are small, something like the Ghoorkas, but are 

 brave, faithful and honest. They are excellent men 

 in the jungle, and also thoroughly understand the 

 management of boats. They are an amusing people, 

 and have plenty of character. They dearly love fighting, 

 and would sooner go with a war party than go to a 

 wedding any day. They have impetuous courage, and 

 are very good at hand-to-hand fighting, but they cannot 

 be disciplined in the same way that Sikhs and Pathans 

 can. 



The taking of heads sounds rather barbarous to 

 European ears, but it is a custom amongst them to collect 

 the heads of their enemies as trophies of war, and it is 

 very difficult to break them of it. Apropos of this 

 I must relate an anecdote of Sergeant Bungin. 



The reader must not suppose that he in any way 

 resembled the gorgeous creature arrayed in scarlet 

 and stripes, whose manly form causes the bosom of the 

 nursemaid to thrill with emotion. 



To him the mysteries of squad company and battalion 

 drill were a sealed book. Bungin was appreciated for 



