KYAN SWORDS. 331 



is used also by the Mui people, the Benkatan, and the 

 Tatows, and by all the tribes of the east coast. The 

 Idaan or Meroots, are said, by Forrest, also to possess it. 

 I have seen specimens from the river Essiquibo, in 

 South America, where they were collected by my friend, 

 Mr. Henchman, which precisely resembled those of the 

 Dyaks in appearance and size, but were without the 

 sight and the spear to the end. The darts used were 

 also similar, but poisoned with the urali instead of the 

 upas. 



The swords of the Kyan tribes are of very peculiar 

 construction. The iron from which they are formed 

 is said to be the production of the country, and pre- 

 pared by the natives themselves. This may be the case 

 in some places, as it is well known that excellent ore 

 exists in many parts of the interior. In the manu- 

 facture of their swords, the Kyans display considerably 

 more ingenuity than the most improved of the Dyak or 

 other wild tribes are masters of. The blades are 

 convex on one side, and concave on the other ; so 

 that they can only be used in cutting from right to 

 left ; though in that manner they cut more deeply 

 than a common weapon. They are generally about 

 two feet long, and two inches and a half in breadth 

 at the broadest part; towards the point they are 

 all ornamented with patterns, cut right through the 

 steel of the blade by what process I am unable to 

 learn. Towards the back of the weapon, and frequently 

 down its whole length, are figures of the sun, moon, 

 and stars, of brass, inlaid into the iron of the blade, 



