MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. 41 
childbirth the midwife presses hard upon the chest and stomach of the 
mother, with her hands and sometimes her knees, to prevent the child 
escaping from the mouth of the mother. In the event of a very diff- 
cult childbirth a balzan is called in to determine what particular spirit 
or diuata is angry or annoyed by the approaching birth and how such 
spirit may be appeased. 
Christie records the note that in punishment of incest the culprit 
is set in a wicker cage with his hands tied and thrown into a stream. 
This note of an isolated fact is valuable but obscure. We comprehend 
it only through recognition of the same manner of punishment for 
marriage within the forbidden degrees practised by the Kayan of North 
Borneo, also a fluviatile people. The Kayan inflict this death penalty 
without spilling blood in order to avoid the necessity of paying the 
blood atonement. Our notes lack detail upon this point among the 
Subanu, but the occurrence in the vocabulary of bangon in the sense of 
blood money shows the custom to be operative here also. 
As the father is the absolute ruler of his family, so he may put 
away his wife by divorce for good and sufficient cause, in accordance 
with the customary law. 
The headman sits in judgment upon the application for divorce, 
which may be made by either party. Violations of the law and con- 
tumacy in respect of the decision of the headman are punished by fine. 
Public sentiment is against divorce, especially if there are children. 
The usual causes for divorce are sterility, adultery, desertion, and 
incompatibility of temper. The dowry can not be recovered unless 
the woman secures the divorce. 
Under the general designation lizngan are grouped certain customs 
which are the rule of life for widows and widowers. After the death of 
husband or wife the surviving partner must wear plain clothing of 
white or black, must refrain from all dances and other festivities, avoid 
the transaction of all business, and generally keep as far as possible 
within the seclusion of the house. An unkempt appearance is the out- 
ward and visible sign of grief, at least of mourning, and to attain this 
lugubrious appearance the relict must take no baths and wash no 
clothes. ‘The period of this mourning is set by the performance of the 
two funerary celebrations, the buklug tumala and the buklug puluntu. 
