208 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. Xni. 



reaching above his head, which was covered with long, 

 white hair. The Dyaks fed him, and the Hantu greedily 

 devoured all that was offered to him; but in return for 

 their good treatment, the only words he could be brought 

 to utter were those equivalent to " You are a fool ! " The 

 description sounds Hke that of a harmless lunatic, it must 

 be confessed, and was not sufficiently interesting to induce 

 a visit to the spot. 



When relating the circumstance, Mr. Brooke told me 

 that three years ago some Dyaks came from a considerable 

 distance, briuging with them for his inspection what they 

 were pleased to designate a Hantu, carefully wrapped up 

 iu a piece of cloth. They had walked for three days through 

 the jungle, and had abstaiaed from speaking to any one by 

 the way, full of the importance of their mission. When 

 they had arrived, they ceremoniously laid their treasure 

 before him, when lo ! the mysterious wonder disclosed to 

 thg Tuan Muda's eyes was — a pumpkin or gourd, dried 

 and blackened with smoke, and having on the top the half 

 of a cocoa-nut shell, with some of the fibres hanging hke 

 scanty hair upon it. It had been in the possession of the 

 Dyaks for many generations, and they regarded it as a 

 charm of the greatest potency, and in bringing it for the 

 inspection of their chief, they exhibited to him the highest 

 feelings of respect and regard. Tlje Tuan Muda, however, 

 unwilling to hurt their feelings, and respecting their motives, 

 examined it gravely, and pronounced it to be truly a great 

 curiosity, dismissing them with a dollar or two for their 

 trouble, whereupon they packed up their Hantu and re- 

 turned with it whence they came. Had he wished to 

 purchase it, they would have demanded an enormous 

 price, as they set great store by it as one of their most 



