CHAPTER XX 



ARRIVAL ON THE MAHAKAM RIVER — AMONG THE PENIHINGS 

 — LONG KAI, A PLEASANT PLACE — A BLIAN's SHIELD — 

 PUNANS AND BUKATS, SIMPLE-MINDED NOMADS — EX- 

 TREME PENALTY FOR UNFAITHFULNESS — LONG TJEHAN 



A FEW minutes later we came in sight of the Mahakam 

 River. At this point it is only forty to fifty metres wide, 

 and the placid stream presented a fine view, with sur- 

 rounding hills in the distance. In the region of the Upper 

 Mahakam River, above the rapids, where we had now ar- 

 rived, it is estimated there are living nearly 10,000 Dayaks 

 of various tribes, recognised under the general name 

 Bahau, which they also employ themselves, besides their 

 tribal names. 



The first European to enter the Mahakam district 

 was the Dutch ethnologist. Doctor A. W. Nieuwenhuis, 

 at the end of the last century. He came from the West, 

 and in addition to scientific research his mission was 

 political, seeking by peaceful means to win the natives 

 to Dutch allegiance. In this he succeeded, though not 

 without difficulty and danger. Although he was con- 

 siderate and generous, the Penihing chief Blarey, appre- 

 hensive of coming evil, twice tried to kill him, a fact of 

 which the doctor probably was not aware at the time. 

 Kwing Iran, the extraordinary Kayan chief, knew of it 

 and evidently prevented the plan from being executed. 

 Blarey did not like to have Europeans come to that 



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