142 TIIROrCH CFNTRM. 1U)RNE0 



There appeared to be more Siangs than ISIiirungs 

 here, the fornuT, uho are neighbours and evidently al- 

 hed to the latter, occupying the inland to the north of 

 the great rivers on which the Murungs are chiefly settled, 

 part of the Barito and the Laong. They were shy, 

 friendly natives, and distinguished by well-grown mus- 

 taches, an appendage I also later noted among the Upper 

 Katingans. The people told me that I might photo- 

 graph the arrangements incident to the feast as much as 

 I desired, and also promised to furnish prahus and men 

 when I wished to leave. 



The following day Mr. Demmini seemed worse than 

 before, being unable to sleep and without appetite. The 

 festival was to begin in two days, but much to my re- 

 gret there seemed nothing else to do but to return to 

 Puruk Tjahu. The Dayaks proposed to take the sick 

 man there if I would remain, but he protested against 

 this, and I decided that we shoukl all leave the following 

 day. In the evening I attended the dancing of the 

 Dayak women around an artificial tree made up of bam- 

 boo stalks and branches so as to form a very thick trunk. 

 The dancing at the tiwa feast, or connected with it, is of 

 a different character and meaning from the general |)er- 

 formance which is to attract good antohs. This one is 

 meant to give pleasure to the departed soul. 1 he scene 

 was inside one of the houses, and fourteen or fifteen dilTer- 

 ent dances were performed, one of them obscene, but pre- 

 sented and accepted with the same seriousness as the other 

 varieties. Some small girls danced extraordinarily well, 

 and their movements were fairylikc in unaffected grace. 



