BORNEO 143 



trial for murder, and was found guilty and 

 hanged. 



The chief's gruesome trophies, eight human 

 heads (as well as I remember), were still in the 

 Resident's possession. They were all in a wicker 

 cradle, and in the nostrils of some of the heads 

 boar's-tusks had been inserted, curving upwards, 

 as an additional ornamentation. 



As practised by the Muruts, head-hunting is a 

 most despicable business, the head of a woman 

 or child being apparently prized almost as much 

 as the head of an enemy killed in open fight. 



It was said, presumably with truth, that I was 

 the oldest white man who had ever been in the 

 interior of British North Borneo. My report, 

 which dealt with all branches of the administration, 

 met with warm commendation from the Directors 

 of the Company, and was also highly approved 

 by His Excellency the Governor and other officers 

 serving in the country. This naturally was very 

 gratifying to me. 



Many reforms have been introduced since the 

 time of my visit, but in 1911 the government of 

 this large country by a handful of resolute young 

 Britons, supported by less than 400 armed Indian 

 policemen and by a few Dyaks and other native 

 police, was a striking illustration of the genius for 

 administration which is possessed by the British 

 race. The Dusans, who constitute the largest 

 element in the population, are for the most part 

 peaceful and inoffensive; but the Sulus (Moros) 

 and Bajaos, especially the former, are blood- 

 thirsty and revengeful, and the Muruts are still 

 in a state of savagery. 



