A VISIT TO THE CAVES 289 



a wild fancy turn to reality, all come over one at once. 

 A single glance at this scene was ample reward for all the 

 long days and nights of effort put forth to reach it. 

 I never again expect to make a pilgrimage of this sort, 

 for only one such experience can be had in a lifetime.' , 



It is rather surprising that Hindu remains in Borneo 

 should be found at such an out-of-the-way place, but 

 Doctor Nieuwenhuis found stone carvings from the same 

 period on a tributary to the Mahakam. Remains of 

 Hindu red-brick buildings embedded in the mud were 

 reported to me as existing at Margasari, southwest of 

 Negara. Similar remains are said to be at Tapen Bini 

 in the Kotawaringin district. 



In 1917, at the Dayak kampong Temang, in the dis- 

 trict of that name, Mr. C. Moerman, government geolo- 

 gist, saw a brass statue fifteen centimetres high, which ap- 

 peared to him to be of Hindu origin. Before being shown 

 to visitors it is washed with lemon (djeruk) juice. When 

 on exhibition it is placed on top of rice which is contained 

 in a brass dish more than twenty-five centimetres in 

 diameter. After being exhibited it is again cleaned with 

 lemon-juice and then immersed in water which after- 

 ward is used as an eye remedy. One must give some 

 silver coin for the statue to "eat." Its name is Demong 

 (a Javanese word for chief) Akar. Originally there were 

 seven such Demongs in that country, but six have dis- 

 appeared. 



Hindu influence is evident among the Dayaks in the 

 survival of such names as Dewa and Sangiang for cer- 

 tain good spirits. In the belief of the Katingans, the 



