2i6 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



which Is held in upright position, and he strikes either 

 with right or left hand. He had scarcely performed a 

 minute when a change came over him. He stamped one 

 foot violently upon the floor, ceased playing, and seemed 

 to be in a kind of trance, but recovered himself quickly. 

 A good antoh, one of several who possessed him, had re- 

 turned to him after an absence and had entered through 

 the top of his head. So strong is the force of auto-sug- 

 gestion. 



It was a matter of considerable interest to me to meet 

 here representatives of two nomadic tribes of Borneo 

 who had formed small settlements in this remote region. 

 I had already made the acquaintance of the Punans in 

 the Bulungan, but as they are very shy I welcomed the 

 opportunity of meeting them on more familiar terms. 

 For more than a generation a small number has been 

 settled at Serrata, six hours walking distance from Long 

 Kai. The other nomads, called Bukats, from the moun- 

 tains around the headwaters of the Mahakam, have lately 

 established themselves on the river a short distance above 

 its junction with the Kasao; a few also live in the Peni- 

 hing kampong Nuncilao. These recent converts from 

 nomadic life still raise little paddi, depending mostly 

 upon sago. Through the good offices of the Long Kai 

 kapala people of both tribes were sent for and promptly 

 answered the call. The Punan visitors had a kapala who 

 also was a blian, and they had a female blian too, as 

 had the Bukats. 



The Punans are simple-minded, shy, and retiring peo- 

 ple, and the other nomads even more so. The first-named 



