254 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



away. As usual the heads were tied by the hair to the 

 handle of the shield, and were thus carried to the place 

 where the rattan bags had been left, inside of which they 

 were then placed. 



After taking heads the men are on the run for two or 

 three days, travelling at night with torches, and in the 

 evening they make a big fire to dry the heads. The brains, 

 because of the weight, may have been taken out the first 

 evening; this is done through the foramen, and a hole is 

 made with a spear point in the top of the skull. The 

 hair has first been cut off and taken care of, to be tied as 

 ornaments to shields or plaited round the handle of the 

 sword. The Katingans, however, throw away the hair 

 with the flesh. Apprehensive of pursuit, they may dry 

 the head but a little while each night, grass being tied 

 round it when carried. Sometimes damar is used to dry 

 the flesh and the eyes. 



The last night out the head-hunters always sleep 

 near their kampong, and early next morning, while it is 

 still dark, they come singing. The people of the kam- 

 pong waken, array themselves in their best finery, and go 

 to meet them, the women wearing their newest skirts and 

 bringing pieces of nice cloth to present to the conquerors. 

 The man who cut the head carries it suspended from his 

 neck until it is taken from him by a woman who gives 

 him the cloth to wear instead, possibly as a badge of 

 heroism. It makes no difference whether this service 

 is performed by his wife, an unmarried woman, or another 

 man's wife. The singing ceases and all proceed to the 

 kampong, to the house of the kapala, where the heads are 



