TUBA-FISHING 87 



of the same kind — was surprising and disappointing. 

 Even small fish were eagerly sought. There was little 

 animation, especially at the beginning of the sport, and 

 no spears were used. Several tons of bark must have been 

 utilized, at least eight or ten times as much as at the Isau 

 River, and I regretted that they should have so little re- 

 ward for their trouble. Five days were spent in travel, 

 two days in making "bring" and gathering tuba, and they 

 had pounded tuba for eight hours, since two o'clock in 

 the morning. After all these exertions many prahus 

 must have returned without fish. Possibly the fish had 

 been practically exterminated by the tuba poisoning of 

 former years. One man told me that many fish remain 

 dead at the bottom, which partly accounts for the scanty 

 result. 



I was desirous of having Chonggat remain here for a 

 week of collecting, but no Kenyah was willing to stay with 

 him, all being deterred through fear of Punan head-hunt- 

 ers, who, on this river, not so long ago, had killed some 

 rubber-gatherers from Sarawak. Besides, they also antici- 

 pated revenge on the part of Kayans, eleven of whom 

 had been killed by the Kenyahs in Apo Kayan one and a 

 half years previously. According to their own reports 

 and that of the Chinese interpreter, the heads of six men 

 and five women had been taken after a successful attack 

 on the two prahus in which the Kayans (Oma-Lakan) 

 travelled. The Kenyahs (Oma-Kulit) who had com- 

 mitted the outrage had been apprehended by the Com- 

 pany, as the government is called by the natives. The 

 brother of the chief of Long Pelaban, who was with us 



