62 
NORTH BORNEO. 
of road-making. Buffaloes form part of the payment made by a Bajow to his bride’s 
family, some young ladies being valued at several of these animals, with the addition of a 
few brass gongs. The harness of these animals is as simple as it is uncomfortable—a ring 
through the nose with a cord attached acts as bit and bridle, the small wooden saddle is 
sharp and uncomfortable, and a looped rope in which the rider places his big toe takes the 
place of stirrups. All the Bajows carry long-shafted spears, which assist them to mount 
and dismount. 
The Datu’s house was prettily situated on the hank of the river (the distance from which 
is gradually lessening day by day), hidden amongst numerous mango-trees and coconut- 
palms ; these trees, with a few others cultivated by the Bajows, border the Tampassuk River 
through its course in the plains, beyond this narrow margin the level lalang-grass plains 
stretch for miles to the foot of some distant hills. The house was spacious, and I at first 
thought clean, but on closer acquaintance it proved to be infested with bugs. Bugs are 
very numerous in most native houses, while fleas are almost entirely absent, except when 
the cooler and higher altitudes are reached. As usual in Borneo, the house was built on 
piles well off the ground. Inside it was, at first entry, gloomy and dark, but deliciously 
cool after our broiling walk from Abai. It took some little time to make out clearly the 
furniture of the place: straight from end to end on one side runs a passage floored with 
strips of bamboo a few inches apart, giving ventilation and saving the trouble of sweeping; 
running parallel with this is the main floor of flat bamboo, raised a few inches above the 
passage, on which are spread neatly made rattan mats. The rattan canes are split into 
three, then each strip is bored and threaded in several places, forming when finished a 
beautifully cool and pliant mat, hut unfortunately in dirty houses a splendid harbour for 
insect pests; the Bajows purchase these mats from the inland Dusuns. Over these are 
placed plaited mats of palm-leaves, which are often worked in pretty colours : on these mats 
are numerous pillows like hard round sofa-cushions, generally made of red cloth and 
embroidered at each end with silk and gold crewel-work. A few mosquito-nets, made of 
blue or white cloth, are slung on wooden frames from the roof, but as most nets had seen 
several years' service, they looked somewhat filthy. The more valuable property consisted 
of earthenware jars and brass-ware, generally in the form of large platters, gongs, and 
highly ornamented “badils.” At the sides of this house were piled up gaudily ornamented 
Chinese boxes, which contained, I presume, some of the Datu’s Sunday-clothes and other 
valuables. A few glass wine-bottles hung in neatly-plaited grass covers ; some common 
china plates and small bowls completed the crockery of this establishment. At the far 
end of the house was the small kitchen, built under a separate roof, thus keeping out some 
of the smoke, the fire being made on a mud hearth. The whole place was painted a 
dull brownish tinge. While making the sketch for my illustration (on the opposite 
page) the Datu’s son-in-law had been looking on for some time, when he told me that 
the Datu objected to my making fun of his home by sketching it, as he knew I would 
take it to my people and laugh over it. The women in this house, as in most others 
■we visited, were busy weaving sarongs and head-cloths, the prevailing colour being red, 
some for their own use, others for barter. The Bajow and Ilanun women are ugly in 
comparison to the Dusuns, having nasty sallow complexions; in their dress they are 
