THE KAYANS OF THE NORTH-WEST OF BORNEO.* 145 * 
filler themselves superior, and whom collectively they designate 
by the contemptuous appellation of Kajang. The Dyaks 
they call Hivan which is also a derisive term. The Kaydn 
men do not tatoo, but many of the higher classes have small 
figures of stars, beasts, or birds on various parts of their 
body, chiefly the arms, distinctive of rank. The highest 
mark is that of having the backs of the hands coloured 
or tatooed, which is only conferred on the brave in battle. 
With the women, the arms, from the elbows to the points of 
the fingers, are beautifully tatooed, as are also the legs from 
the thighs to a little below the knees, and likewise the 
upper parts of the feet; and those of very high rank have 
in addition one or more small spots on the breasts. In 
tatooingtbe performer pricks the design or pattern with three 
needles, and afterwards smokes it with a dammar torch, by 
which process a beautiful dark-blue is produced; frequently 
inflammation of a serious nature follows. The operation of 
tatooing begins when girls are about four or five years of age, 
at first the hand and feet, and afterwards, previous to arriving 
at the age of puberty, the other parts are finished. With both 
sexes while very young, the lobes of the ears are perforated, 
and large rings of copper, brass or tin inserted, by which that 
part of the organ is extended commonly from five to seven 
inches, but frequently more. In women especially, it is consi¬ 
dered a mark of beauty to have them extended to the breasts, 
which is quite common among them. As the lossof her flowing 
locks to an European belle, so to a Kayan beauty would be 
the deforming or breaking of her pendant ear lobes- The 
ear-rings are commonly in weight about 20 ounces each pair. 
Regarding human sacrifice, the K£yans strenuously deny 
the practise at the present day, but it would seem to have 
been prevalent amongst them formerly, especially on the oc* 
casion of the king or principal chief taking possession of a 
newly built house, and also on the occasion of his death. 
They acknowledge that an instance of this most revolting 
custom took place about two years ago, on the occasion of 
the chief Batu Dian taking possession of his new house. The 
victim was a Malay slave girl brought from the coast for the 
avowed purpose, and sold to the chief by a man who was 
also a Malay. It is said to be contrary to the Kayan cus¬ 
tom to sell or sacrifice one of their own nation. In the case 
alluded to, the unfortunate victim was bled to death, the blood 
was taken and sprinkled on the pillars and under the house, 
but the body was thrown into the river. It is the blood on¬ 
ly that is prized, or considered efficacious. That blood ie 
