244 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



rambutan, have been raised from seed. Borneo certainly 

 possesses fine wild fruits, but as the jungle is laborious 

 to pass through it would be most difficult to find the trees. 

 I have hitherto directed attention to the superior quality 

 attained by the fruits of the island which are grown from 

 imported stock, as the pineapple, pomelo, etc. 



The usual nuisance of crowing cocks is not to be 

 avoided in a Dayak kampong, though here they were 

 few. I saw a hen running with a small chicken in her 

 beak, which she had killed in order to eat it — a common 

 occurrence according to the Penihings. The ludicrous 

 self-sufficiency of the Bornean male fowls, at times very 

 amusing, compensates to some extent for the noise they 

 make, but they are as reckless as the knights-errant of 

 old. Outside my tent at dawn one morning I noticed one 

 of them paying devoted attention to a hen which was 

 hovering her chickens. He stood several seconds with his 

 head bent down toward hers, then walked round her, 

 making demonstrations of interest, and again assumed his 

 former position, she meanwhile clucking protectingly to 

 her brood. Finally, he resolutely attacked her, where- 

 upon she emitted a discordant shriek while seven or eight 

 tiny yellow chicks streamed forth from underneath her; 

 in response to her cry of distress another cock immediately 

 appeared upon the scene and valiantly chased the dis- 

 turber away. 



No less than nine prahus started out one day, bound 

 for Long Iram to buy salt and other goods, taking a small 

 quantity of rattan. The following day, late in the after- 

 noon, the party returned, having passed the night a short 



