CHAPTER XXII 



DAYAK DOGS — A FUNKRAL ON THE MAHAKAM OUR RETURN 



JOURNEY — AGAIN AT LONG TJEHAN — IN SEARCH OF A 

 UNIQUE ORCHID — ^A BURIAL CAVE 



Every night while we were camped here, and fre- 

 quently in the day, as if controlled by magic, the numer- 

 ous dogs belonging to the Dayaks suddenly began to howl 

 in chorus. It is more ludicrous than disagreeable and is 

 a phenomenon common to all kampongs, though I never 

 before had experienced these manifestations in such reg^ 

 ularity and perfection of concerted action. One or two 

 howls are heard and immediately all canines of the kam- 

 pong and neighbouring ladangs join, perhaps more than 

 a hundred in one chorus. At a distance the noise re- 

 sembles the acclamations of a vast crowd of people. The 

 Penihings and Oma-Sulings treat man's faithful com- 

 panion well, the former even with affection; and the dogs, 

 which are of the usual type, yellowish in colour, with 

 pointed muzzle, erect ears, and upstanding tail, are in 

 fine condition. A trait peculiar to the Dayak variety is 

 that he never barks at strangers, permitting them to 

 walk on the galleries or even in the rooms without inter- 

 ference. Groups of these intelligent animals are always to 

 be seen before the house and on the gallery, often in ter- 

 rific fights among themselves, but never offensive to 

 strangers. 



They certainly serve the Dayaks well by holding the 



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