230 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



llv. When I arrived at the house where lie was staying 

 he quickly made his preparations to "look pleasant," 

 removing the large rings he wore in the extended lobes of 

 his ears and substituting a set of smaller ones, eight for 

 each ear. He was also very particular in putting on 

 correct apparel, whether to appear in warrior costume or 

 as a private gentleman of the highest caste. His sword 

 and the rest of his outfit, as might be expected, were of 

 magnificent finish, the best of which Dayak handicraft is 

 capable. He made altogether a splendid subject for the 

 camera, but his family proved less satisfactory. I had 

 to wait an hour and a half before _his womenfolk were 

 ready, femininity apparently being alike in this regard 

 in all races. When they finally emerged from the house 

 in great array (which showed Malay influence) they were 

 a distinct disappointment. 



The raja, who was extremely obliging, ordered the 

 principal men of the kampong to appear in complete war 

 outfit, and showed us how an imaginary attack of Iban 

 head-hunters would be met. They came streaming one 

 after another down the ladder, made the evolutions of a 

 running attack in close formation, holding their large 

 shields in front of them, then ran to the water and pad- 

 dled away, standing in their prahus, to meet the supposed 

 enemy in the utan on the other side of the river. 



At noon the female blians were preparing for an im- 

 portant ceremony in the dangei iuit, with a dance round 

 it on the ground later, and I therefore went up to the 

 gallery. The eight performers IkK! each other by the 

 hands in a circle so large that it filled the hut. Con- 



