Hts Sa DNeONK<S OF BORNEO 
bamboo ; but as it is tied on to the shaft, 
it is impossible for the fish to escape. 
Even when the fisherman throws his 
spear at the fish, there is little chance of 
the fish escaping, because the bamboo 
bears it to the surface, and it is easy for 
the men to pick up the bamboo shaft and 
thus secure the fish. 
Most of the people bring with them 
some tuba root, made up into small, close 
bundles the thickness of a man’s wrist 
and about six inches long. Early the 
next morning some of the canoes are 
filled with water, and the root is beaten 
and dipped into it. For an hour or so 
50 or more clubs beat a lively tattoo on 
the root bundles as they are held to the 
sides of the boats. The tuba is dipped 
into the water in the boat and wrung out 
from time to time. This gives the water 
a white, frothy appearance like soapsuds. 
The Dyaks, armed with fish-spears and 
hand-nets, wait in readiness in their 
canoes. 
At a given signal the poisoned liquid 
is baled out into the stream, and the 
canoes, after a short pause, begin to drift 
slowly down the current. The fish are 
stupefied by the twba, and, as they rise 
struggling to the surface, are speared by 
the Dyaks. The large fish are thus se- 
cured amid much excitement, several 
canoes sometimes making for the same 
spot where a large fish is seen. The 
women and children join in the sport, 
and scoop up the smaller fish with hand- 
nets. The tuba does not affect the flesh 
of the fish, which can be cooked and 
eaten. 
This form of fishing, when carried out 
on a large scale, is always a great event 
among the Dyaks, because besides the 
large amount of fish secured on these 
occasions there is always a great deal of 
fun and excitement, and it is looked 
upon as a pleasant sort of picnic. 
HUNTING CROCODILES 
For superstitious reasons the Dvyaks 
do not interfere with the crocodile until 
he has shown some sign of his man- 
eating propensity. If the crocodile will 
live at peace with him, the Dyak has no 
A DYAK IN WAR DRESS 
Holding up his shield in readiness to re- 
ceive the attack of the enemy. He is holding 
his sword in his right hand. The shield is 
decorated with human hair. From “Seventeen 
Years Among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo,’ by 
Edwin H. Gomes. J. B. Lippincott Co. 
wish to start a quarrel. If, however, the 
crocodile breaks the truce and kills some 
one, then the Dyaks set to work to find 
the culprit, and keep on catching and 
killing crocodiles until they find him. 
The Dyaks generally wear brass orna- 
ments, and by cutting open a dead croco- 
dile they can easily find out if he is the 
creature they wish to punish. Some- 
times as many as 10 crocodiles are killed 
before they manage to destroy the ani- 
mal they want. 
There are some men whose business 
it is to catch crocodiles, and who earn 
their living by that means ; and whenever 
a human being has fallen a victim to one 
of these brutes, a professional crocodile 
catcher is asked to help to destroy the 
murderer. The majority of natives will 
not interfere with the reptiles or take 
any part in their capture, probably fear- 
ing that if they did anything of the kind 
they themselves may some time or other 
suffer for it by being attacked by a 
crocodile. 
