250 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



lieved that the singer is able to see how the antoh caused 

 the sickness: whether he did it by throwing a spear, by 

 striking with a stick, or by using a sumpitan. In his 

 efforts to restore the patient the blian is told what to sing 

 by a good antoh that enters his head. Without such 

 help no person can sing properly, and the object of the 

 song is to prevail upon a beneficent spirit to eject or kill 

 the evil one so that the souls may return. 



The blian usually resorts also to feats of juggling, pro- 

 ceeding in the following way: Clasping his open hands 

 forcibly together over the painful part, at the same time 

 turning himself round and stamping on the floor, he 

 wrings his hands for a few seconds and then, in sight of 

 all, produces an object which in the Penihing conception 

 represents a bad antoh — in fact, by them is called antoh. 

 In this manner he may produce several bits of substance 

 which are thrown away to disappear. According to 

 belief, when the blian performs his trick it is in reality 

 a good antoh that does it for him. 



While we were in camp at Long Tjehan there was con- 

 siderable singing at night for the cure of sick people, and 

 four voices could be heard in different parts of the house 

 at the same time. One night I was prevented from sleep- 

 ing by a remedial performance just above my tent, which 

 was only a few metres from the house. The clear, strong 

 voice of the blian had resounded for an hour or more, 

 when five loud thumps upon the floor were heard, as if 

 something heavy had fallen. The fact was that the man 

 had stamped hard with his right foot as by sleight-of- 

 hand he caught various objects from the patient, produc- 



