EXPEDITION TO THE KATINGAN RIVER 319 



found in front of me a house on poles, simply constructed, 

 as they always are at the ladangs. Several of the men 

 wore chavats; an elderly female blian sang continuously, 

 and a fire was burning outside. 



Ascending the ladder of the house I entered a dingy 

 room into which the light came sparingly. In a corner 

 many women were sitting silently. Near them stood one 

 of the beautiful red baskets for which the Katingans 

 higher up the river are famous. As I proceeded a little 

 further an extremely fine carved casket met my astonished 

 eyes. Judging from its narrowness the deceased, who 

 had been ill for a long time, must have been very thin 

 when she passed away, but the coffin, to which the cover 

 had been fastened with damar, was of excellent propor- 

 tions and symmetrical in shape. The material was a 

 lovely white wood of Borneo, on which were drawn large 

 round flowers on graceful vines, done in a subdued light 

 red colour procured from a pigment found in the earth. 

 The effect was magnificent, reminding me of French 

 tapestries. Two diminutive and unfinished mats were 

 lying on the cover, symbolising clothing for the deceased, 

 and tufts of long, beautiful grass had been tied to the top 

 at either end. The coffin was to be placed on a platform 

 in the utan. Its name in Katungan is bakan runi; 

 (bakan = form, exterior; runi = dead person) 



To see such an artistic production was worth a great 

 deal of trouble. Usually this and similar work is made by 

 several working in unison, who co-operate to obtain the 

 best result in the shortest time. I was gratified when they 

 agreed to make an exact copy for me, to be ready on my 



