JA2 SEA DYAK RELIGION. 
the jungles, Dyaks will beat a gong for a few minutes to apprise 
the Wind Spirit of the locality of the house; lest he should lay it 
level with the ground, as he does sometimes the most majestic of 
forest trees. Veneration for natural phenomena then determines 
the direction of his religious instincts; and we find ourselves in a 
region of belief which reminds one, to some extent, of the primitive 
religion of the Vedic age. This nature-worship soon runs into 
practical polytheism ; for the human spirit ever seeks a personality 
as the receiver of its homage, and the repository of its wants. To 
this, the best side of Dyak religion, is added a less poetical ele- 
ment, a cultus, waich though occasional and spasmodic. is yet 
degrading in character ; one inspired by a mixture of fear, anxiety 
and self-interest, and consisting in demonolatry, zoolatry and ayi- 
olatry, in the practice of which there are found the same re- 
ligious acts as are offered to other’ beings—invocation, petition 
and sacrifice. The Dyak’s religious belief is thus the offspring 
of the earthly as well as the higher side of his nature ; and tozether 
forms a compound of law. religion and superstition in inextricable 
contusion. 
And in the omen system, the Dyak advances still further into 
the great field of human religion, and touches other faiths higher 
than his own. The forms in which he manifests this is sure to be 
material and crude; but nevertheless it may contain the germs of 
thought more fruitful of results elsewhere. What is the essential 
thought or principle which underlies these dreams, omens and 
divinations? A morbid anxiety to foreknow the secrets of the 
future no doubt is there; but surely there is also a hidden convic- 
tion, that the supernal power and wisdom has a way of revealing 
its will to man, wherein he is told what to do, and what to refrain 
from. Looking at the matter from his point of view, the Dyak 
has a continual direction from that power, a living guide book for 
life’s work and journey. The statement of the legend that bird- 
omens were given instead of the book, exactly hits the point. And 
he implicitly obeys, though he knows not of the why; but the gods 
see further than he can, and he is content, though the obedience 
involves a present inconvenience. 
To sum up then, the Dyak has gods for worship, spirits for 
