288 SEA DYAK RELIGION. 



been brought to her future husband's house, a fowl is waved* 

 over them, with a hastily muttered invocation for health and 

 prosperity ; and with this semi-sacrificial action the marriage 

 is complete. 



Death is much more involved with sacred observances. 

 Although the Dyaks have something of the Moslem sentiment 

 of fate, and commonly speak of the measure of a man's life, 

 which once reached nothing can prolong, yet this does not 

 seem to help them to a quiet submission to the inevitable ; 

 for, even when death is unmistakeably drawing near, they are 

 eager in fruitless efforts of resistance, and the scene is general- 

 ly one of tumultuous wailing. They will shout wildly to the 

 me:licine-man to recover the wandering spirit, and they will 

 call out to the dying — " Come back ; do not go with the spirits 

 " who are leading you astray to Hades. This is your country, 

 " and we are your friends." The word pulai,pulai 9 "return, 

 return," is reiterated in piercing, piteous tones. Silence and 

 reverent awe in the presence of death would be regarded as cul- 

 pable callousness to the interests of a life trembling in the 

 balance. And when actual dissolution is plainly imminent, 

 they dress the person in the garments usually worn, and some 

 few ornaments in addition, that the man may be fully equipped 

 for the untried journey; and in violent demonstrations of 

 grief, the women and younger people wait the end, or perhaps 

 rush distractedly about in hopes of doing something to delay 

 it. As soon as respiration has ceased, a wild outburst of 

 wailing is heard from the women, which proclaims to all the 

 village that life is extinct. The cessation of visible breathing 

 is with the Dyak the cessation of life ; he knows of no other 

 way to distinguish a prolonged state of coma from death, and 

 I have good reason to believe that sometimes bodies have been 

 buried before they were corpses. 



After death the body is lifted from the room to the ruai, 

 or verandah, of the village-house; some rice is sprinkled 

 upon the breast, and it is watched until burial by numerous 

 relatives and friends who come to show their sympathy. 

 The nearer connections of the deceased will probably be heard 



* This leaving of a sacrifice or offering is a noticeable feature in the 

 practice of Hindu exorcists in India. — Ed. 



