Ran away from the Dutch

by M. T. H. Perelaer

First of all several trivial charges were disposed of, in the progress of which the Europeans did not fail to notice the shrewdness and sagacity of the solicitors. With the utmost interest they watched the peculiar practices of these men of the law. They were provided with a number of small rattan dolls as part of their professional paraphernalia. Whenever a point was gained by the production of irrefragable proof, the plaintiff’s lawyer stuck one of these dolls in the ground before him, so that at the end of his pleadings a number of these figures were arrayed around him. When in the defence any of his arguments or facts were disproved and the defendant’s solicitor scored a point by planting a doll before his own seat, one of the plaintiff’s collection had to be removed. Thus these dolls represented so many items of established evidence. At the close of the pleadings the verdict was awarded to the one who had most dolls standing. In these peculiar proceedings, sleight of hand plays no unimportant part. Dolls are sometimes nefariously planted or abstracted, and the recriminations which ensue necessitate a new action on the following court day, with the resumption of proceedings “de novo.”

Among the most important cases there was one in which three persons stood accused of the same offence. Two of them belonged to people of distinction, but the third was a hireling.

The accusation being formally made the court proceeded to the [[231]]manjapa or administration of oaths. A black hen was produced and beheaded by the accuser—who then solemnly swore to the truth of the charge. The accused in their defence observed the same formality and swore solemnly to their innocence. In this dilemma the judges had recourse to the Dayak ordeal.

They ordered three basins to be brought, filled with melted rosin. A large fire was kindled, on which the hens decapitated during the taking of the oaths were burned. In the meantime the three accused had taken their places around the basin. At a sign by the president, each of them was made to dip his right fore-finger in the melted rosin and to stir it around twice or three times. The fingers duly descended into the basins at the given signal; a horrible shriek being uttered by the hireling who, notwithstanding his agony, had the courage to stir the burning contents the required number of times. The fingers of the accused were carefully bandaged until the following morning when they would be judicially inspected. He whose finger would be found flayed or otherwise damaged would be adjudged the culprit.

The last case to be decided was one which had been under investigation for a long time. Some years before, an old man had died, supposed to be poisoned. His son had brought an action against a man who had been heard to vow vengeance against the deceased for giving false evidence against him in a charge of fish stealing. Whenever the case had been called before, the same result had always followed. The number of dolls had always been equal for both parties, and it had therefore been impossible to determine who was right and who was wrong. [[232]]

Thus stood the matter until to-day, when it was proposed to proceed to the hagalangang in order to arrive at the truth. In the great square of the kotta, both plaintiff and defendant were placed in narrow bamboo cages closed in at the bottom, which while protecting the lower part of their bodies left their heads, arms and chests fully exposed. The cages were designedly made narrow to defeat any attempt which their occupants might make to stoop or plunge. Being placed facing each other at a distance of about thirty paces, both men were supplied with pointed bamboos a yard long, which at a given signal they had to throw at each other. The one who should be first wounded, however slightly, would be considered guilty. If it should be the accuser, his action would be lost and he would be compelled to pay to the accused a penalty of 1,000 rear as shame money. He would also have to present him with a mandauw as a token that he accepted the decision and that he continued to respect him as heretofore. If, however, the accused should be wounded, he would be made to confess his guilt, handed over to the accuser, who would therewith acquire the right of torturing him to death.

When the judges had taken their seats a couple of youths were told off to pick up the lances and restore them to the combatants. Amai Njawong then gave the signal to commence. The first throw effected nothing and being wide of the mark was received with a howl of disapprobation. The second and third were better aimed, but the fourth was fatally decisive. Struck full in the chest the accused instantly dropped dead, while the accuser at the same moment also received his death blow. The weapon of his opponent had struck him at the side of the neck and severed the [[233]]carotid artery. He survived a few minutes only, dying from hæmorrhage.

The president hereupon declared that their deities had interposed to prevent a verdict in order that the matter might remain a secret forever. He ordered the bodies to be delivered to their relatives for the usual burial ceremonies and shortly afterwards the titih was heard from two sides of the kotta.

Deeply moved by these strange scenes the Europeans sought their room, where for some time they remained wrapt in deep silence. At last La Cueille, like one trying to escape from a nightmare, cried out:

“What a queer lot we have come among!”