Ch. XIV.] DYAXS OF SEEAMBO. 237 



into stony crevices, and similar awkward traps ; and some 

 of the larger and deeper holes have to he crossed by rude 

 bridges, consisting of a number of bamboos stuck into the 

 ground in the form of St. Andrew's crosses, a narrow plank 

 beiug laid upon the angle between them. "Water flows freely 

 from the upper part of the hiU, and is conducted in bam- 

 boo pipes to a convenient spot, where there is, consequently, 

 a constant supply. 



About these houses were a number of timid, dusky, half- 

 naked women and children, the men, for the most part, 

 having gone down to the plains. They seemed rather 

 frightened at the invasion of their solitude by a white 

 stranger ; but, thanks to the government of Eajah Brooke, 

 the time has long gone by since they were liable to be robbed 

 and carried away into captivity when surprised by neigh- 

 bouring tribes in this unprotected condition. I entered 

 some of the houses, and found some women within, either 

 nursing or with children playing around them, and by means 

 of little presents easily succeeded in calming their appre- 

 hensions. The interior was" tolerably clean, each having a 

 stove and cooking utensils,' and a mat spread in the corner, 

 which inventory, however, appeared to embrace the whole of 

 their household furniture. 



In this village was one house which arrested attention 

 from its peculiar form. It was circular, built upon piles, 

 and had a conical and pointed roof, and several windows or 

 rather holes to admit light, protected by shutters. This 

 was the Pangah, or head-house, an institution in every 

 Dyak village, and in it used to be deposited the heads or the 

 skulls of their enemies, or, more strictly speaking, of the 

 strangers captured in their head-hunting expeditions. But 

 such head-taking practices are now entirely abolished in the 



