MY BIG TUSKER. 1 8/ 



Mission teaching has a peculiar effect upon the mind 

 of Dyaks. I do not think they are able to grasp it quite 

 so well as they can the simple though very partial and 

 imperfect creed of the Mahometans. I once had a 

 mission Dyak amongst my men, and one night heard 

 him reading out a chapter from one of the Gospels for 

 the benefit of the other Dyaks. It was the sublime 

 account given of the trial before Pilate, and the denial of 

 St. Peter. I speak with reverence, but this was what I 

 actually heard : 



" Read us something from the book," said one. 



"Yes, yes," cried others; "it is very interesting, and 

 you are very learned to be able to read ; just like a 

 white man you are, but you would not make a good 

 sergeant for all that." 



He commenced to read, getting very slowly over the 

 stones. Every now and then the Dyaks would make 

 comments, when it came to the words, "the cock crew," 

 one Dyak said : "What o'clock was that? " 



This started a debate at once. One Dyak said : " Day- 

 break ". 



"No, you fool," said another; "the cock crows two 

 and three times." 



At last one very stupid, heavy-looking Dyak who 

 seldom spoke thought he ought to make a remark, so he 

 asked the question : " Who did the cock belong to ? " 



" It belonged to Pontius Pilate," said one. 



" It belonged to the maidservant," said another. 



" It belonged to the neighbours," said a third. 



" It belonged to the Government/' said a fourth. 



" It belonged to nobody, but was only a cock that 

 walked about stealing what it could, like the Malay 

 fowls," said a fifth. 



