The head-hunting should not
be charged against him as a dastardly deed; for him it is an adat. In the
second place, he possesses very good traits of character, as evidenced by
his hospitality and generosity. Our soldiers, some sixty in number,
obtained a meal immediately in every kampong. When a Dayak goes on a
journey in a friendly region he may be sure of receiving shelter and food
in every house.
"They are distrustful of foreigners, but if he has gained their confidence
they give assistance freely in every respect. Loving their liberty in a
high degree they prefer not to be ordered. The cowardly manner in which
they cut heads is no criterion of their courage."
It would not be in accordance with facts to suppose that head-hunting has
altogether been eliminated in Borneo. It is too closely identified with
the religious life of the natives, but in time a substitute probably will
be found, just as the sacrifice of the water-buffalo supplanted that of
slaves. The most recent case that came to my notice on the Mahakam was a
Penihing raid from Long Tjehan to the Upper Barito five years previously,
in which four Murung heads were taken.
It is extraordinary that such a revolting habit is practised in a race the
ethics of which otherwise might serve as a model for many so-called
civilised communities, these natives being free to an unusual degree from
the fault of appropriating what belongs to others and from untruthfulness.
The fact that the Dayaks are amiable in disposition and inclined to
timidity renders this phase of their character still more inexplicable.
The inevitable conclusion is that they are driven to this outrage by
religious influences and lose their self-control. As of related interest I
here note what Doctor J.M. Elshout, who had recently returned from Apo
Kayan, communicated to me. He had spent three years at the garrison of
Long Nawang among the fine Kenyahs and spoke the language. "As soon as one
enters upon the subject of taking heads one no longer knows the Kenyah. Of
his mild and pacific disposition little or nothing remains. Unbounded
ferocity and wantonness, treachery and faithlessness, play a very great
part; of courage, as we understand the meaning of the word, there is
seldom a trace. It is a victory over the brua (soul) of the man who lost
his head, and the slayer's own brua becomes stronger thereby. If
opportunity is given they will take heads even if they are on a commercial
trip. Outsiders, even if they have been staying a long time in the
kampong, run a risk of losing their heads."
CHAPTER XXV
DEPARTURE FROM THE PENIHINGS - FRUIT-EATING FISH - ANOTHER CALL AT LONG
PAHANGEI - A TRIP UP THE MERASI RIVER - GENIAL NATIVES - AN INOPPORTUNE
VISIT - THE DURIAN, QUEEN OF ALL FRUITS
It became expedient to prepare for our farther journey down the river, but
first I wanted to take some photographs and measurements of the kampong
people; this, however, proved an impossible task because of the adverse
influence of the reticent and conservative Raja Paron, who spoke not one
word of Malay. Recently he had been shocked by the sale to me of two live
specimens of the curious spectacled lemur (tarsius borneanus), which had
been added to my collections. The raja was incensed with the man who sold
them, because the makiki, as these animals are called, are regarded as
antohs, and in their anger at being sold were making people ill. Therefore
these new proceedings for which his sanction was asked were regarded by
him with disapproval, and as a result of his opposition the people began
to disappear in the direction of their ladangs. Fortunately, I had secured
good material in both respects from Long Kai, and I began preparations for
departure.
Prahus and a sufficient number of men were secured, and in the middle of
July we started. On the Mahakam there never was any difficulty about
getting men who were eager to gain their one rupia a day. The difficulty
was rather the other way, and this morning the prahus were found to
contain more paddlers than had been agreed upon, and seven surplus men had
to be put ashore. On the river-banks at this time were noticeable trees
bearing small fruit of a yellowish-red colour, and which were so numerous
as to impart their hue to the whole tree. Violent movements in the
branches as we passed drew our attention to monkeys, which had been
gorging themselves with fruit and scampered away on our approach. Birds,
naturally, like the fruit, and, strange to say, it is a great favourite
with fish, many kinds of which, chiefly large ones such as the djelavat
and salap, gather underneath the trees in the season. On the Mahakam and
the Katingan this is an occasion for the Dayaks to catch much fish with
casting-net, spears, or hooks. The tree, which in Malay is called crevaia,
is not cut, and there is no other known to the natives the fruit of which
the fish like to eat. Though not sweet, it is also appreciated by the
Dayaks.
Another singular observation made on the Mahakam was the effect of dry
weather on the jungle. At one place, where it covered hills rising from
the river, the jungle, including many big trees, looked dead. From what I
later learned about the burning of the peat in Sarawak, where unusually
dry weather may start fires which burn for months, this was undoubtedly
also the case here, but it seems strange that in a country so humid as
Borneo the weather, although admittedly of little stability, may become
dry enough to destroy the woods in this manner.
I had decided to pay another short visit to Long Pahangei, where we
arrived in the afternoon, and again we were among Oma-Sulings.
