144 
ETHNOLOGICAL NOTES. 
other Land-Dayak tribes f The Orang Kaya of Mungo 
Babi (Samarahan) explained after some hesitation, that 
the Dayaks believed they were descended from these 
animals and so were forbidden by their fathers to eat 
the flesh. 
. From the neighbouring village of Lanchang a 
different tale was offered, soniewhat to this effect - 
In the beginning, Tuan Allah summoned before them 
a representative of each of, the four races (i. e. repre¬ 
sentatives of the White men, the Chinese, the Malays 
and Dayaks); and ordered, them to stand with their 
backs towards a flock of animals among which were 
deer, pig, cattle, etc. They were then told that what¬ 
ever animals they could touch with a blowpipe 
(or spear) over their shoulder, those animals would be 
given to them and their descendants for food. The 
White man succeeded in touching all, and no animal 
flesh is forbidden him ; the Malay however missed the 
pig, and so is allowed to eat deer and cattle but not 
pig; the Dayak touched them all except rusa and 
kidjang (deer), and so he is forbidden those animals. 
"Whether it is true or not,” continued our Land-Dayak 
informant, “I do not know, but still the Dayaks do not 
eat rusa or kidjang so I suppose it must be so”. 
The Lanchang Dayaks, although strict observers of 
this prohibition, do not mind eating the pianduk 
(Mouse-deer or Chevrotain). Some of the Dayaks of 
the Sadong district however will eat both plandok 
and kidjang. We can And no mention of this 
f “The Dayaks of the Quop district do not refuse to eat deer. The custom 
of doing so, however obtains in Western Sarawak, but chiefly in the Singgli i 
t ribe, and then only among the young men.they do so because 
deer's flesh produces in those who eat it faint hearts; and as I have elsewhere 
observed, the interdict on certain kinds of food to the young people is merely 
selfishness on the part of the elders to secure to themselves a greater share of 
the articles that are not plentiful. The Silakau and Lara Dayaks who have 
emigrated from Sambas into Lundu, do not eat the flesh of the deer, from an 
opinion that they are descended from Dayak ancestors, hut Mr. Chalmers, in 
his experience of the Sarawak Land-Dayak, never heard of any prejudice 
existing against killing or even eating any animals except the faint-hearted¬ 
ness supposed to be produced by venison.” . Sir Srenser St. John. Life in the 
Forests of the Far East. 1863 [2nd Ed.] (Vol. I. p. 206.) 
“They (deer) were represen.ed as very numerous, as the Bukars do not eat 
their flesh.” (Ibid. p. 223). 
“We inquired about the deer-grounds, hut as these Dayaks (San Poles) arc* 
partial to venison, there was no game to be found in the neighbourhood.” 
Lbid. p. 236). -> ■ 
