NORTH BORNEO. 
63 
slovenly, wearing a pair of loose trousers and a long sarong generally of dark-blue material: 
as they are neither blessed with tapes nor buttons, they seem to be continually readjusting 
their garments, as if in fear of them dropping off. The attire of the male Bajow is similar 
to that of Datu Tumanggong already described, only the colours are often varied to white 
and red. On the whole the Tampassuk Bajows are ugly, often of a very swarthy com¬ 
plexion ; few have pleasant expressions and many a forbidding scowl: they are probably the 
most lawless people in the Company’s territory, and it will require an officer well backed 
up with police to whip them into shape; but, as I have already stated, they are so rarely 
visited by any magistrate, and then the subsidized chiefs swear against each other, so that 
it is almost impossible to administer justice. 
For the next few days we were busy hunting up buffaloes in all directions, often 
walking from morning until night; but in the end I could only get four promised out of ten 
that I should require. During these rambles I made the acquaintance of a little fat Ilanun 
chief, who gloried in the title of Sultan Paitailan. High-sounding titles are very common 
in Borneo, mostly self-bestowed I imagine. There are dozens of Orang Kayas (i. e. man- 
rich), Datus, Pangerans, Kajahas, Sultans, and Sherifs, the last being numerous in the 
Benkoker district and the descendants of Arab adventurers. Many of these titled 
personages are chiefs over their own household only—except my friend the Orang Kaya of 
the Padas, who was not even that—and have in reality no power at all, and very little 
influence. 
The Sultan was a most obliging little man, troubled with a dry throat, which often 
brought on fits of coughing; he also had a grievance, as he was not a paid chief and 
thought he ought to be: by the assistance of this man I was able the following year to get 
my baggage carried to the Dusun village of Melangkap. In company with the Sultan I 
went to some dozens of houses, but all the Ilanuns, for some reason or other, were unable to 
go or lend us buffaloes. 
The Ilanuns are more obliging than the Bajows, better featured, being more like Sulu 
Islanders, and more industrious. They occupy the territory near the mouth of the river, 
where they grow quantities of paddi and sugar-cane, which they make into dark-coloured 
sugar and barter with the Dusuns. They are also expert brass-founders, casting tastefully 
ornamented boxes for holding “ sirih ’’-chewing necessaries, which they sell to their 
neighbours ; formerly they made their own “ badils,” but the suppression of piracy has 
extinguished this branch of industry. Formerly they also made curious coats of mail, 
formed by riveting together small oblong pieces of buffalo-horn: there are still a few of these 
fighting-coats to be seen in this district, where they are valued at one buffalo each; but 
even for this price it is difficult to get the Ilanuns to part with them. The Ilanun sword is 
a curious weapon, and is known as a “ kompielan ”; the blade is made of soft steel, very 
thin and broad; the hilt is of wood and provided with bells, carved, and ornamented with 
tufts of hair: these swords formerly constituted part of the payment for an Ilanun bride, 
they are also valued at the rate of one buffalo. These people are also great fishermen, 
catching and salting numbers of fish, venturing far out to sea in the smallest of canoes; 
but I am afraid with all their good qualities they equal their Bajow brethren in cattle¬ 
lifting. 
