ON THE WAY 369 



peared, and some deaths had occurred in the kampongs 

 of this region. In the room I occupied a woman had 

 recently recovered from an attack of a week's duration. 

 The disease, which probably is a variety of cholera, was 

 described to me as being a severe diarrhoea accompanied 

 by vomiting, paralysis, and fever, the crisis occurring in 

 three to five days. The disorder appears to rise from the 

 feet, and if it settles between the liver and heart may 

 prove fatal in half a day. As I learned later, this illness, 

 which the Malays call men-tjo-tjok, is usually present 

 in the inland region of the Sampit River, and is also 

 found on the upper parts of the Kahayan and Pem- 

 buang Rivers. 



People in this neighbourhood were lappar (hungry), 

 having no rice, and the men were absent in the utan 

 looking for rattan, white damar, and rubber, which they 

 exchange for rice from Chinese traders. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, chiefly women and children are left in the 

 kampongs. Of nearly thirty men needed for my over- 

 land trip, only three could be mustered here. One Dayak 

 who was perfectly well in the evening came next morning 

 to consult me about the prevalent illness which he had 

 contracted during the night. The only available course 

 was to return to Sampit. 



The name of the Dayaks here and on Lake Sembulo 

 is Tamoan (or Samoan), with intermixture of Katingans, 

 who are said to understand each other's language. Most 

 of these friendly natives had fair-sized beards, some only 

 mustaches. The elder men complainingly said that the 

 younger ones no longer want to tatu nor cut the front 



