HEAD-HUNTING 257 



Each head-hunter carried rice in a rattan basket, but 

 he depended for food mainly on sago-palms and wild 

 animals that were killed. After such an expedition has 

 been determined upon, the preparations may occupy a 

 year or even longer, but usually about three months. 

 When all is ready for a start, a delay of from one to four 

 days may be caused by unfavourable interference of an 

 omen bird. Should a bird chance to repeat the omen 

 when another start is made, the party must return to 

 the kampong and wait a long time. The Dayaks are 

 very much guided in their actions by omens taken not 

 only from birds but also from incidents, and merely to 

 hear a certain bird is sufficient reason to change all 

 plans. 



When leaving their kampong to take part in an expe- 

 dition to New Guinea the Penihings heard the cry of a 

 bird called tarratjan, and requested the lieutenant in 

 charge to wait four days. He replied, naturally, that 

 the Company (government) does not employ birds in mak- 

 ing decisions, and while the Dayaks offered no further 

 objection they declared to him that one of them would 

 surely die. According to my informant it so happened 

 that before arriving at the island one man died. If at 

 such a time a large tree should be seen falling, he said, 

 then they would like to give up the trip to New Guinea 

 entirely, but being afraid of the Company they go, not- 

 withstanding the warning. 



If a head-hunting party sees a large tree fall, the ex- 

 pedition is abandoned, and no young men who took part 

 can ever join another venture of the same kind. Old and 



