CHAPTER XXXV 



A VISIT TO KUALA KAPUAS — A BREED OF STUMP-TAILED 

 DOGS — THE SHORT-TAILED CATS OF BORNEO — A SEC- 

 OND EXPEDITION TO LAKE SEMBULO — NATIVES UNDIS- 

 MAYED BY BERI-BERI — THE TAMOANS — THE PRACTICE 

 OF INCISION 



The second trip to Sembulo had to be postponed 

 until the return of the controleur of Sampit from an 

 extended tour, when the steam-launch Selatan would 

 again be placed at my service. During the weeks of 

 waiting I made a trip to Kuala Kapuas, northwest of 

 Bandjermasin. The Kapuas River is broad here, I 

 should say at least 600 metres; if there is any wind one 

 cannot cross because the prahus are all made of iron- 

 wood and sink easily, owing to the fact that they are 

 heavy and do not accommodate themselves to the waves. 

 A German missionary and family had been here ten 

 years. The children looked a little pale but strong, and 

 had never had malaria nor children's diseases. 



I soon became convinced that there was little here for 

 me to learn. The Dayaks have been too long exposed 

 to Malay and European influences, though still able to 

 make splendid mats, for which this place is well known. 

 Malay ascendancy is strong on the lower courses of the 

 two great rivers that meet here, on the Kapuas as far 

 as Djangkang, on the Kahayan as far as Pahandut. I 

 carried away mud for future zoological examination from 



the bottom of a pool, ten minutes walk from the shore. 



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