ON THE ISAU RIVER 65 



with face down. Over her breast was a broad band of 

 fibre which passed around to the back where it was tied 

 in a large bow. The mourning garb worn in this and other 

 Dayak tribes by relatives of a deceased person is an at- 

 tempt to elude the evil spirit (antoh) who is regarded as 

 the cause of death and whose wrath the remaining rela- 

 tives are anxious to evade by disguising themselves in 

 this way. The men poled fast, and ten minutes later 

 the cortege ascended the bank without following a path, 

 and deposited the coffin in a small, old-looking house. 

 Once daily for three days food is deposited near a dead 

 child, while in the case of adults it is given for a long time. 



The following day we all started up the river for the 

 great catch. About 300 Dayaks had gathered, with 80 

 prahus. There were people from as far east as Kaburau, 

 but those of the kampongs west of Long Pangian did not 

 appear as expected. Some of the men carried spears 

 specially devised for fishing, and some had brought their 

 shields. We passed seven traps, in Kenyah called 

 "bring," some in course of making, and others already 

 finished. These rapidly made structures were found at 

 different points on the river. Each consisted of a fence 

 of slightly leaning poles, sometimes fortified with mats, , 

 running across the river and interrupted in the middle 

 by a well-constructed trough, the bottom of which was 

 made from poles put closely together, which allowed 

 the water to escape but left the fish dry. 



The poison which stupefies or even kills the fish, 

 without making it unfit for food, is secured from the root 

 of a plant called tuba and described to me as being a vine. 



