76 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



two who had danced for the kinematograph, had con- 

 siderable charm of manner and personal attraction; it 

 was a trifle disconcerting to And my hclle a little later 

 hunting the fauna of her lover's head, llcr nimble fingers 

 were deftly expert in the work and her beloved was visibly 

 elated over the demonstration of her affection. 



These natives do not tolerate hair on the body and 

 pull it out or shave it off. The men even remove the hair 

 at the edge of the scalp all around the head, letting the 

 remainder attain a growth of about sixty centimetres, and 

 this is tucked up in a coil under the cap. The hair of eye- 

 brows and eyelids is removed with great care. The 

 women perform this operation, and tweezers made for the 

 purpose are usually seen among the ornaments that hang 

 from the tops of their hats. I was told that people care- 

 ful about their appearance have their eyes treated in this 

 manner every ten or even every five days. It is a service 

 which a young man's '* best girl " is glad to perform and a 

 couple thus engaged may often be seen. Truly the wiles 

 of Cupid are many. 



The Dayaks are fond of ornaments and the Kenyahs 

 are no exception. The extraordinary number of large 

 tin or brass rings worn in the vastly distended ear-lobe 

 is well known and is the striking feature in the appear- 

 ance of most tribes. I was told that among the Ken- 

 yahs the ear-lobes of children are pierced when the infant 

 is seven days old. Especially the women of this and many 

 other tribes carry this fashion to extremes, the lobe being 

 so elongated that it may be twisted twice around the ear. 

 The heavy weight of rings sometimes breaks the thin 



