m A V131T TO THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, 



commercial tiuliistry, — " Iiaye totally abnndoned their 

 barbarous ciLstoms." The same may certainly be said 

 now of Uio Dyaks of Sarawak. But the " wilder " Dyaks, 

 while from superstition and congenital propensity tbey 

 arc murderers, are also made pirates and slavc-dealci's by 

 that aecidont of locality which brings them under the 

 influence and instruction of the Malaya to whom these 

 pursuits are natural. I have briefly stated this in a 

 former chapter ; but it will bear enforcing here, because 

 it is ihfj answer to every asseveration tliat " tlie Dyaks" 

 are not pinites. If they ai'e " Bea Dyaks " (inchaUiig 

 those of the large rivers), " Coast Byaka/' Wild J)yuks," 

 they are almost invariably PiitATEi?. If they are " Land 

 Dyaks," imi Dyaks," " Mild Byaks ''—they maj/ he 

 *' harmless, inoffensive people," as respects piracy ; th ought 

 except in the regenerated province oi' Sarawdi, they will 

 still collect luiman heads. 



To no Dyak tribes in Borneo do these statements more 

 truly apply thaji to those of the yerobas and Sakarmn 

 livera. One other circumstance borne in mind would 

 prevent much beathig of the air " on this subject. The 

 tribes of these two rivers so habitually unite their forces 

 for piratical expeditions^ md become when thus imitcd 

 so mixed together, that both the rivers and both tbeir 

 respective races are often comprehended under either 

 nameSj^ — mean in conversation or familiar writing. In 

 strictest accuracy we must speak of them m the Malays 

 and l>yaks <if Serebas and Stikan an ; " but to avoid 



