THE PENYAHBONGS 177 



not seem to interfere with general health. Three of my 

 Kayan carriers thus affected were more muscular and 

 stronger than the rest. One of them was the humorous 

 member of the party, always cutting capers and dancing. 

 Women are less affected than men, and I often saw men 

 with the disfiguring scaly disease whose wives were evi- 

 dently perfectly free from it. 



A party of six fine-looking Penyahbongs were here on 

 a rhinoceros hunting expedition. They came from the 

 western division, and as the rhino had been nearly exter- 

 minated in the mountain ranges west and northwest of 

 Tamaloe, the hunters were going farther east. Such a 

 party carries no provisions, eating sago and animals that 

 they kill. Their weapons are sumpitans and parangs, 

 and equipment for stamping sago forms part of their out- 

 fit. The rhino is approached stealthily and the large 

 spear-point on one end of the sumpitan is thrust into its 

 belly. Thus wounded it is quite possible, in the dense 

 jungle, to keep in touch with it, and, according to trust- 

 worthy reports, one man alone is able in this way to kill 

 a rhino. It is hunted for the horn, which Chinamen will 

 buy. 



At my request two of the hunters gave war-dances 

 very well, taking turns. Their movements were grace- 

 ful, and in the moonlight they appeared sinuous as ser- 

 pents. The same dance obtains in all the tribes visited, 

 and the movement is forward and back, or in a circle. It 

 was performed by one man who in a preliminary way exer- 

 cised the flexible muscles of the whole body, after which 

 he drew his sword^ seized the shield which was lying on 



