216 SEA-DYAK 



the above anecdote of Lingir, it would appear necessary 

 before a man can marry, or bury a deceased relative, 

 that he embrue his hands in human blood ! and thus, 

 how many victims must be sacrificed to this sanguinary 

 and ferocious custom. Lingir, of course, was un- 

 successful in his application to Sarawak, and being 

 desired immediately to return with his fleet, he cap- 

 tured the heads of four unfortunate fishermen, with 

 whom he fell in, on his return. 



Boats being so necessary to the sea-Dyaks for their 

 cruises, they have attained to greater perfection in 

 building them than in most other arts, and have suc- 

 ceeded in getting them of so light and fast a construc- 

 tion, that they surpass in this respect the canoes of 

 Siam and some other more civilized and powerful 

 states. They appear long since to have left the simple 

 canoe, or boat formed of a single tree ; and at present ; 

 though these are the only ones of the land-Dyaks, the 

 smallest boats for river purposes are not formed on 

 this principle. Their war-boats, which are called 

 'bankongs/ are generally of great length, frequently 

 as much as seventy feet. They are built very high 

 abaft, and high forward, so that, when they have not 

 their crews on board, they appear merely to touch the 

 waterin the middle ; when laden, though high fore 

 and aft, they are not above one plank from the water 

 in the middle, and being built without a sharp keel, 

 are very crank ; but, as they carry no sail, they are not 

 afraid of capsizing. They are built from a flat keel 



