THE PENYAHBONGS 175 



It may be of some interest to note the usual occurrence 

 of rain at this kampong as gathered from native observa- 

 tion. April-July there is no rain; August-October, little; 

 November and December have a little more; January 

 much; February and March less. 



Every evening as long as we remained here Pisha, the 

 chief, used to sing, reciting mythical events, thereby 

 attracting good antohs (spirits) and keeping the evil ones 

 away, to the end that his people might be in good health 

 and protected against misfortune. His efforts certainly 

 were persevering, and he had a good voice that sounded 

 far into the night, but his songs were of such an extra- 

 ordinarily melancholy character that it still makes me 

 depressed to remember them. He was an amiable man, 

 whose confidence I gained and who cheerfully gave any 

 information I wanted. Of his five daughters and three 

 sons only the youngest daughter, who was not yet mar- 

 ried, was allowed to pronounce Pisha's name, according 

 to custom. Nor was it permissible for his sons-in-law to 

 give me the name, still less for him to do so himself. 



After Mr. Demmini's departure all the photographing 

 fell upon me, to which I had no objection, but it was out of 

 the question also to do developing, except of the kodak 

 films, and as the lieutenant, who had done some before, 

 thought he could undertake it, the matter was so arranged. 

 The first attempts, while not wholly successful, were not 

 discouraging, and as time went on the lieutenant turned 

 out satisfactory results. We had a couple of days' visit 

 from the kapala of Sebaoi, a tall and nervous-looking 

 Penyahbong, but friendly, as were the rest of them. I 



