THE ABOF.IGKS'ES OF BORXEO. 449 



The bouses of tlie Kyans are, in general, very similar to the long- 

 houses of the Sea Dyaks, each of which accommodates a number 

 of famihes, but veiy often a number of these long-houses are 

 grouped together in regular village style. 



Those of the Baram Kyans are roofed with shingles, and floored 

 with rough boards instead of poles or slats of the nibong palm, 

 such as are usually employed for this purpose. 



The Kenowits and Milanaus in the Eejang District formerly 

 built their long-houses on j^osts, from twenty to twenty-five feet 

 high, or even more, in order that they might better resist the at- 

 tacks of the hostile Sea Dyaks of the Sakarran and Seribas. Being 

 unable to cHmb into the houses, their assailants directed their at- 

 tack against the hard-wood posts, and worked under their shields 

 while trying to chop them in two. Although the inhabitants above 

 rained dow^n stones, beams, sj^ears, and hot water upon the besieg- 

 ers, Low- states that the latter were generally successful.* 



The Pakatans and Poonans, wandering tribes who inhabit the 

 unknown interior, build no houses whatever, and are, to that ex- 

 tent, the least advanced of all the East Indian tribes we are ac- 

 quainted with. Even the open pole platforms of the Jacoons of 

 the Malay Peninsula show a far greater advancement than the sim- 

 ple mat spread upon the damp earth, but one step removed from 

 the wild beasts' lau". 



The Hill Dtaks. 



The Hill Dyaks inhabit the extreme western side of Borneo, 

 their eastern boundary being the Sadong River. As their name 

 implies, they hve away from the sea, usually upon the hills and 

 mountains, and are essentially hill-people. Being indisposed to 

 making pu-atical forays by water in great force, as did the Sea 

 Dyaks in former times, they were usually the victims of their more 

 powerful and rapacious neighbors. Although possessing, perhaps, 

 fully as much courage, man for man, as the Sea Dyaks, they were 

 never so warlike as to make fighting and plundei'ing the chief 

 business of their hves. The Sarawak officers say that they are far 

 more tractable and easily managed than the Sea Dyaks. 



Although they formerly took the heads of enemies slain in battle 

 and preserved the cleaned skulls in their head-houses, they deny 

 that they ever had that mania for head-collecting which at one time 



* Sarawak, p. 340. 

 29 



