S-KETCH OF BOïlNEO; 57 



sumpit, and are acquaintcd with the most dead- 

 iy poisoiis, especialiy one wliich is producei 

 ff om tlie ju ice oi* a tree fouud in Boriieo and 

 also in Java, In the coiistruction of their 

 boats and sonie of their uteiisils, the Dayak 

 display coasiderabie ingenuity. Few of thena 

 are acquiinted with the use of fire-arra», except* 

 iiig in the vicinity of Eauj:ir, and the Malays 

 are anxious to keep them in this ignorance. 



In manners they are described as a mihl and 

 simple people/ and though their superstitioüs 

 opinions occision great enormi ies among them, 

 jet it fs admitted by the Moslems, that whea 

 any of them happen to be converted to thaf re* 

 ligion, they become exemplary for the propriety 

 of their conduct. 



In Govemmetit they are regulated in their 

 own villagcs^ like the jakong, by the advice of 

 the elders. In some places, however, they have 

 their own chiefs, who possess a degree ofautho* 

 lity analogous to that of the Malay Rajahs. 



In regard to letters, it does not appear tha.t 

 tbey ever had any knowledge of them, and in con- 

 Sequence of thia, it is impossible to tracé their 

 origia. Their own traditious oq this head are 



