EXPEDITION TO THE KATINGAN RIVER 317 



cocoanut palms and durians." A similar description 

 would serve to-day. The large communal house as known 

 in most parts of Borneo does not seem to obtain here. 

 Communal houses of small size were in use ten years pre- 

 viously and are still found on the Upper Samba. Their 

 gradual disappearance may be explained by the fact that 

 the government, as I was informed, does not encourage 

 the building of communal houses. 



Whatever the reason, at the present time the dwelling 

 is a more or less flimsy structure, built with no thought 

 of giving access to fresh air, and sometimes no provision 

 is made for the escape of smoke from the fireplace. But 

 the people are very hospitable; they gladly received us in 

 their houses, and allowed me, for purposes of ventilation, 

 to demolish temporarily part of the unsubstantial wall, 

 which consisted of bark or stiff mats. The high ladder 

 is generally provided with a railing leaning outward at 

 either side. 



The Katingans are shy, kind-hearted natives, the 

 great majority of them being unusually free from skin 

 disease. No illness was apparent. With some of the 

 Lower Katingans the calf of the leg was below normal 

 size. This was the case with three women in Pendahara, 

 and also with a blian who otherwise was a stout man. 

 All the men have a large representation of the full moon 

 tatued on the calf of the leg, following the custom of the 

 Ot-Danums, Murungs, and Siangs. As far as I ascended 

 the river the Upper Katingans rarely have more tatuing 

 than this, but the Lower Katingans are elaborately orna- 

 mented, chest and arms being covered with illustrations 



