290 POPULATION OF HILL DYAKS. 



these assemblies are never riotous, but always con- 

 ducted in a quiet, grave, and business-like manner. 



As has been previously remarked, these Dyaks, in their 

 different tribes, do not acknowledge the authority of one 

 chief, who has rule or influence over several of them ; 

 though when a tribe is divided into several large villages, 

 each having an OrangKaya of its own, respect is nominally 

 paid to the chief of the original stock ; and when the 

 history of the Sakarrans shall be known better, perhaps 

 it may be found that such chiefs as Casing, and the 

 Orang Kaya Pamancha, of Sarebas, derive their 

 authority from the circumstance of their tribes being 

 the most ancient, and the parents of the others. But 

 at present I am more inclined to believe that they are 

 chosen from the chiefs of tribes in the same manner as 

 the village chief is chosen from the wiser of the people, 

 solely on account of the reputation they have acquired 

 for discretion and valour. 



It is difficult to ascertain the number of persons 

 composing the many tribes of the Hill Dyaks, but the 

 number in the territory of Sarawak may be approxi- 

 mated. They are divided into twenty-one tribes, which 

 are settled in twenty-nine villages, containing 1,500 

 families, or rather houses, which at the average of seven 

 persons to a house, not a large one, as two families 

 frequently occupy one residence, gives a total Hill Dyak 

 population of Sarawak of 10,500 persons; to which, 

 if 1 1 families of Sebooyah Sea Dyaks be added at the 

 same average, we have the total result of the Dyak 

 population of this territority, 11,270 persons. Of these 



