200 THROLGll CENTRAL BORNEO 



ing here except war dances. For a generation they have 

 been gathering rubber, taking it far down the Mahakam 

 to be sold. Of hue years rubber has nearly disapp^eared 

 in these parts, so they have turned their attention to 

 rattan. 



One day a man was seen running with a sumpitan 

 after a dog that had hydrophobia, and which repeatedly 

 passed my tent. The apparent attempt to kill the animal 

 was not genuine. lie was vainly trying to catch it that 

 he might tie its legs and throw it into the river, because 

 the people believe that the shedding of a dog's blood 

 would surely result in misfortune to their health or crops. 

 After three days the dog disappeared. 



In Data Laong few were those men, women, and chil- 

 dren who had not some form of the skin diseases usual 

 among the Dayaks, which were rendered still more re- 

 pugnant by their habit of scratching until the skin bleeds. 

 A man and wife whose skin looked dry and dead, the whole 

 body exhibiting a whitish colour, one day came to my 

 tent. Standing, or crouching, before the tent opening 

 they formed a most offensive picture, vigorously scratch- 

 ing themselves, while particles of dead skin dropped in 

 such quantity that after some minutes the ground actu- 

 ally showed an accumulation resembling snow. They 

 were accompanied by a twelve-year-old daughter who, 

 strange to say, had a perfectly clean skin. 



The belief about disease and its cure is identical with 

 that of other tribes I have met. The evil antohs are 

 believed to be very numerous in the mountainous region 

 at the headwaters of the Kasao River, from whence 



