306 DYAK DISEASES. 



time, though the affinities and relationships are not re- 

 membered by the people themselves. Madness is sup- 

 posed amongst the Singhie Dyaks, to be the punishment 

 inflicted on the hardy offender against the Pamalion 

 deer's-flesh, and a man is now living in that tribe 

 who committed the horrid crime of parricide to save 

 his family from the disgrace incurred by his father 

 running about the woods in a state of nudity, making 

 the noises and imitating the habits of a deer, of the 

 flesh of which animal he was supposed to have eaten. 



The wens, or goitres, common among the people of 

 the hilly countries of Sumatra and Java, are met with 

 here amongst the tribes inhabiting the Sangow River. 

 I observed them at S'Impio, and am told they are much 

 more common at Secong and Si-Panjang. On account 

 of their great size and length, they must be very 

 inconvenient, though the persons afflicted with them 

 suffer no pain from them, nor is their general health 

 at all affected by them. I have myself seen young 

 women with them, so long as to hang below the breasts, 

 and was informed that amongst other tribes they were 

 frequently thrown over their shoulders by the people 

 troubled with them. They appeared to me to be more 

 frequent amongst the women than the men. I did not 

 see them exceed more than two in number on one 

 individual. 



This disease cannot be attributed to the effects 

 of an elevated atmosphere, as those living on 

 the borders of the rivers, not more than 100 feet 

 above the level of the sea, are troubled with them 



