the K A TANS OP THE NORTH-WEST OP BORNEO. 151 
thing else than these are worn, but when travelling or doing 
the work of the field, they wear a tight fitting jacket made 
from a fine description of bark and also of different sorts of 
cloth. The men wear the cbawat of bark cloth, but more 
commonly of Europe cotton cloth generally about eighteen 
feet long. A. skull cap formed of rattan variously orna¬ 
mented, and jackets made of bark or skin, are worn when 
travelling or in war. In war they fight with a spear, sword 
and shield. The sumpitan is not a national weapon ; nor is 
it used by them save in killing birds and monkies. t he 
Kayan youth from any early age practise throwing the spear 
and the me of the sword. In swimming and wrestling, 
which are their principal games, they excel. 
Both males and females of all classes take part indiscri¬ 
minately in the labour of the field, for the cultivation of 
rice, tobacco and various sorts ol vegetables in use, but only 
in sufficient quantities for their own consumption. In pre¬ 
paring and keeping the grounds clear where vegetables are 
planted, a small kind of hoe is used 3 but in sowing rice the 
tedious method of dibbling is universally adopted. I nice 
in ten months they sow and reap the rice harvest* ^ b ir 
year consists of five months, or the space of time taken to 
prepare the ground, sow and reap the rice. The Kay a ns 
though an emigrating and conquest loving people, are not 
frequently engaged in petty wars like other tribes in B >i* 
neo. They are industrious, and to a degree laboriously so, 
which is shown by the massive and substantial construction 
of their houses, which, besides being otherwise strongly 
built, generally have boarded sides and floors and neatly 
shingled roofs, and also by their knowledge of manufacturing 
iron and steel from the native ore. Ibis knowledge must 
have greatly tended to keep them, independent, and superior 
in power to the other aboriginal tribes of the islands. 
From the native iron they make their wood cutting imple¬ 
ments, spears, swords and many other articles in use. Com¬ 
monly at every village there is a place for smelting iron, in 
all the process of which the community mutually partake. 
Covered by a shed, the rude furnace consists of a circular pit 
formed in the ground, three feet deep, and about four feet in 
diameter. Previous to the smelting process the ore is roasted 
and broken into small pieces. The coals (charcoal) in the 
furnace being set fire to and well kindled, the prepared 01 e 
is then placed on the top with alternate layers of coals. 
The ventilators used consist of wooden tubes, ten to twelve 
