Tabu customs of the warpath amongst the 
Sea Dayaks of Sarawak. 
A few months ago the Government of Sarawak arranged 
a punitive expédition against a troublesome border tribe. 
The army was made up partly of the regulars, the Sea Dayak 
Rangers, but mainly of the ablebodied men called out from all 
the houses of the Batang Lupar district: the largest contin- 
gent came from the village of Banting where the customs here 
related came before the notice of my wife. Whilst their 
husbands were away on the warpath the Dayak women, one 
and all observed several trivial ceremonies and omitted certain 
items belonging to the routine of an ordinary day; and on 
enquiry my wife learnt that these were performed for the 
benefit of their husbands in accordance with the principles of 
sympathetic magic. We are indebted to Miss Hall of the 
Banting Mission House for the foliowing list of tabus followed 
by the women at home and by the men on the warpath. 
The women. 
(1) They must awaken early in the morning and with 
the streak of dawn the windows must be opened: otherwise 
their husbands will oversleep themselves and may be caught 
by the enemy. As the windows are opened early to bring 
light into the room so will it be lhght and bright when the 
men commence their march. 
(2) Itis forbidden (pemali) for them to oil the hair lest 
their husbands slip when walking on a batang’ path (a path 
of tree trunks). It was the unusual untidiness of the ladies’ 
hair. which first called for remark when my wife arrived at 
Banting. 
(3) They must not sleep during the daytime or the men 
will be drowsy when walking. 
Jour. Straits Branch R, A. Soc., No. 52, 1908. 
