NORTH BORNEO. 
69 
suspended, but let in. These novel ear-ornaments were worn by all the Lawas Muruts, and 
are made by fixing a small round looking-glass in a bamboo frame. The nose of this 
individual was sharp, clean cut, and inclined to the aquiline; his face was longer than is 
usually met with in this tribe. One of his legs was much swollen with varicose veins, 
which caused him to halt slightly. This Murut was named Si’Lalang, and he was the only 
good-looking Murut I met with : the other members of his tribe I shall describe presently. 
Si’Lalang told me that his chief pastime was pig-shooting, varied by head-hunting 
expeditions. According to our neighbours the Kadyans, he was a well-known character, 
being the most famous head-hunter in the district. He told us that he had killed and 
taken the heads of some twenty of his enemies, which are the Pelluans at the head of the 
Padas River. After a short stay Si’Lalang left, to pass the night in the house of our 
neighbours the Kadyans, promising to call for me the next morning and to take me with 
him to his home to view this famous collection of crania. 
In our house the Kadyans have left some children’s toys; this was the only attempt 
towards making models to amuse children that I ever noticed in Borneo. The toys 
consisted of several well-made models of boats ; but the chief object of interest was a 
peculiar wooden animal on four wheels, which looked more like a rabbit than anything 
else, but when told it was the model of a buffalo, it became more grotesque still in my 
sight. 
Next morning Si’Lalang called, and we started with him to see his home and trophies. 
His house was several miles distant, which we reached after a most tiring walk, the path 
for most of the distance traversing the last season’s paddi-fields. There is nothing more 
trying than a walk through an old paddi-field, cultivated after the custom of the Bornean 
aborigines. Large trees are felled, falling in all directions; this huge pile when dry is burnt, 
but only the smaller branches and foliage are entirely consumed. The great trunks for many 
years after lay about in all directions, often piled some height from the ground; amongst 
and over these slippery trunks is the native path: to their naked feet there is no difficulty 
in effecting such a journey; but to booted Europeans, broken shins, with a fall every now 
and again, is a certainty—in this case one fell into hot, stinking, muddy water. After some 
miles of this trying route Ave reached the outskirts of the Murut village; here Si’Lalang 
amused himself by pretending to catch the children, telling them that we Avere Bruneis and 
had come to purchase a fe\v slaves; the children ran aAvay hoAvling, Avhich caused much 
mirth to our guide. The house we had come to see Avas a brand neAV one, erected on a Ioav 
hill, surrounded partly by a small stream Avhich was bridged by a fallen tree, and, as is 
customary in head-hunting districts, Avas very long, containing some fifteen families. 
There Avere a number of Muruts at home when Ave entered, both men and Avomen, and a 
more repulsive-looking lot I have never seen, especially the Avomen. The men Avere 
dressed in the chaAvat or loin-cloth, of Avhich little can be said except that it is a poor 
substitute for absolute nudity. The Avomen, old and young, Avore only one garment, a short 
petticoat, which has been aptly described as “ commencing too late and ending too 
soon; ” it is dyed blue and made of native cloth. The only other attempt made 
by a Murut Avoman towards adorning her person consists of a necklace of curious 
beads and agates. Their hair is cropped fairly short, making them, if possible, more 
