^6 S&ETCÏI OF BOtlNEa. 



it. The Dayak wear no claaths biit a smaTl 

 wrapper round the loins, and maiiy of thera 

 tattoo a varietj of figures on their bodies. 

 Their houscs are formed of wood, darlc and 

 devoid of windows, but often of such size that 

 several families live together in the same house, 

 sofiietimes amounting to ibe iiumber of a hun- 

 drcd personfe. 



Though the Dayak are reckoned indolent bj 

 the Malavs, it does not anuear that the chai g^e 

 is M^ell cstablished. Wherever they are scttled 

 tbey ciïltivate a great quantity of rice; they ia 

 many places apply themselves assiduously to 

 collect gold-dust, though in th is occiip it"oi 

 tliey are greatly inferior to the Chinese^ and are 

 generally found very useful in working the 

 diamond mines, In some places too^ they carry 

 on a considerable trade in rattans alid damar 

 Avhich they collect from the forest. In their 

 diet the Dayak are subject to few res4rictions, 

 eating bög^ and also many kinds of vermin, as 

 rats and snakes. The arms of the Dayak are 

 the sumpit or blow-pipc^ which bas generally a 

 small spear-head fixed at the top, and a large 

 heavy iron knife or parang, which they sling in 

 a wooden scabbard. They are very dexterous^ 

 iu tUrowing snaall poisoned arrows with the 



