332 THROUGH CENTRAL BORNEO 



When feasts occur kapatongs, etc., are taken outside 

 the house to partake of blood from the animal or (for- 

 merly) the slave sacrificed. They are supposed to drink 

 it and are smeared with it. When important they are 

 never sold, but are transmitted as heirlooms from father 

 to son. They passed in a circuit among brothers, re- 

 maining three to five years with each, and were the cause 

 of much strife, brother having been known to kill brother 

 if deprived of his kapatong. 



Many of those which came into my possession showed 

 distinct traces of the application of blood. Some had 

 necklaces around the necks as a sign that they had re- 

 ceived human blood. A few of these were later estimated 

 by an intelligent Dayak to be two hundred years old. At 

 the time of purchase I was struck with the fact that the 

 Ot-Danums were parting with objects of great importance 

 in their religious life. One reason is that the young gen- 

 eration no longer practises head-hunting, which necessi- 

 tated the use of a great number of kapatongs. The peo- 

 ple are gradually losing faith in them. 



These Duhoi were curiously varying in their physical 

 aspects; some were tall, like the "onder," others of me- 

 dium size; some had hooked noses, others turned up 

 noses. The wife of the "onder" had unusually light 

 skin, but there was no indication of a mixture of white 

 blood. Their temperament is peaceful and gentle, and, 

 according to the Kahayan clerk, who had been here 

 ten years, they are truthful. Most of those that were 

 measured came from the kampongs above, one of which is 

 only two or three hours away. Several men had their 



