1 86 TALES OF A NOMAD. 



and ran a thorn into my foot, and was obliged to remain 

 in camp, the day the tuan killed that elephant, I knew 

 he had killed, for I heard that bird. I said to the people 

 in camp : ' The tuan has killed an elephant He will 

 come home carrying its tusks, see if I am not right ; ' 

 and sure enough you returned successful. Besides, I 

 have made quite sure of success. I am going with you 

 to-morrow. I have brought my charms with me, see, here 

 they are, all tied round my waist ; so we cannot fail to 

 be successful. The corporal also had a dream last night 

 in which he saw an elephant, and that is a sure sign of 

 success. Ah, he is a wonderful man that corporal ! " 

 " Was it a tusker that he saw in his dream ? " 

 " I am not sure, tuan ; I do not know. I will ask him. 

 But the corporal has the gift of second sight. At Padas, 

 during the war, the corporal had a dream that Privates 

 So-and-so and So-and-so would have ill-fortune on the 

 next day. A reconnaissance in force was ordered, and 

 these two privates were told off for the duty. They 

 knew that a cloud hung over them, for the corporal had 

 announced his dream, but they were true Dyaks and 

 brave men. They preferred death to shame, so they 

 directed a certain disposition to be made of their 

 property and of pay which was due to them, and they 

 went forth to do their duty. One of them got a suda (a 

 sharpened bamboo stake) through his foot, and the other 

 was shot in the behind. Neither was killed ; but you 

 see that disaster happened to them both, just as the 

 corporal had predicted. Ah, he is a wonderful man ! 

 Undoubtedly he is inspired." 



The Dyaks have no religious faith, and no idea of the 

 Supreme Being or of worship, but they are great believers 

 in dreams and omens, and have implicit faith in charms. 



