THE PAMALI PENIAKIT. 261 



inhabitants shutting themselves up from all intercourse 

 with strangers. This form of Pamali prevented my 

 personally visiting the Brang and Sipanjang tribes, as 

 they were under the taboo when I was in their 

 vicinity, for a kind of dysentery which was prevalent 

 among them. 



The Pamali Peniakit is also undertaken by individuals 

 when any member of the family is sick ; thus, parents 

 often put themselves under its regulations, fondly hoping 

 that by denying themselves for a time the pleasures of 

 intercourse with their fellow creatures, they will prevail 

 upon the malignant spirit, which is supposed to have 

 shed its withering influence over their offspring, to 

 restore it to its wonted health and strength. Bye 

 Ringate, the chief of the Sennah Dyaks, was dying from 

 a severe dysentery ; his children told me, sorrowing, 

 when I visited their village, that pigs had been killed, 

 and the great Pamali had been tried in vain, and that a 

 person who had come from a distant tribe had also 

 failed to effect a cure, and as a last resource, they wished 

 to have some medicine from the Europeans. On 

 returning, I sent some pills to him which Dr. Treacher, 

 the clever surgeon at Sarawak, had given me for the 

 purpose ; and though, when he found himself get better 

 from their effects, he took more of them than he should 

 have done, we had the satisfaction of hearing that he had 

 perfectly recovered. I never visited the tribe after this 

 occurrence ; but should suppose that it must have shaken 

 their belief in the Pamali, and established the reputation 

 of the European doctor in its place. 



