HEAD-TAKING. 303 



become indebted towards the end of the season ; when, 

 even those who have had the greatest supply, have 

 none to spare, as they generally run themselves so 

 short, by selling their Padi to the Malays, as to be 

 very frequently reduced to roots and sago for the 

 month preceding the ripening of the coming crop. 



The custom of head-taking, it has been before noticed, 

 is not so deeply rooted in the habits of these people, 

 as to prevent our hope of its being easily eradicated ; 

 though amongst the Sea Dyaks, it will probably be 

 long before this desirable result be attained. A person 

 afflicted with madness, and who had destroyed several 

 others by running-a-muck, was killed by the Peninjow 

 Dyaks, in an attempt upon some farm-houses and 

 their occupants belonging to that tribe. The un- 

 doubted custom was, that they should have the head; 

 but some of the most civilized of the Dyak tribes, 

 and who constantly frequent Sarawak for the pur- 

 poses of trade, replied that they might bury it with 

 the man, as they did not care about it: this shows 

 with what facility they .may be brought, by proper 

 care and instruction, to the practice of better habits 

 of life than they formerly led, and holds out an 

 encouraging prospect to the Missionaries of their speedy 

 conversion to the doctrines and practices of our Holy 

 Church. 



The heads of the enemies of these tribes are not 

 preserved with the flesh and hair adhering to them, 

 as are those of the Sakarran Dyaks ; the skull only is 

 retained, the lower jaw being taken away, and a piece 

 of wood substituted for it. These ghastly objects are 



