THE GREAT FEAST 233 



longing to the higher class, which was well represented. 

 Some were expensively dressed, though in genuine bar- 

 baric fashion as indicated by the ornaments sewn upon 

 their skirts, which consisted of hundreds of florins and 

 ringits. It should be conceded, however, that with the 

 innate artistic sense of the Dayaks, the coins, all scrupu- 

 lously clean, had been employed to best advantage in 

 pretty designs, and the damsels were strong enough to 

 carry the extra burden. 



The climax had been passed and little more was going 

 on, the ninth day being given over to the amusement of 

 daubing each other with black paste. On the tenth day 

 they all went away to a small river in the neighbourhood, 

 where they took their meals, cooking paddi in bamboo, also 

 fish in the same manner. This proceeding is called nasam, 

 and the pemali (tabu) is now all over. During the days 

 immediately following the people may go to the ladang, 

 but are obliged to sleep in the kampong, and they must 

 not undertake long journeys. When the feast ended 

 the blians placed four eggs in the clefts of four upright 

 bamboo sticks as sacrifice to antoh. Such eggs are gath- 

 ered from hens that are sitting, and those which have be- 

 come stale in unoccupied nests are also used. If there 

 are not enough such eggs, fresh ones are taken. 



