The chiefs all came on board to make their farewell visit, and they were eager that I should spend my last evening with them; they carried me off, and talking was kept up till a musket shot from the ship gave notice that a few fireworks were about to be let off. The whole assemblage of several hundreds hurried to the river’s bank, tumbling over each other in their eagerness.
The rockets and blue lights filled them with astonishment and delight; the former as warlike instruments with which they could defeat their enemies, and the latter because, they said, it turned night into day. I stayed with them till ten, and promised, if possible, to return and spend a few months with them. On no other condition was I to be suffered to depart. They hinted that, united, we could soon possess the neighbouring countries between us.
Siñgauding sent me, to-day, a sword made with his own hands, a war dress of tiger-cat skin, a head-dress of the same material, with a long feather of the Argus pheasant stuck into it. The peculiarity of the Kayan sword is that it is concave on the upper side, and convex below, and is made either right-handed or left-handed. It is a dangerous instrument in the hands of the inexperienced; for if you cut down on the left side of a tree with a right-handed sword, it will fly off in the most eccentric manner; but, well used, it inflicts very deep wounds, and will cut through young trees better than any other instrument. I sent, as a return present, a heavy cavalry sword; in fact, I was nearly exhausted of the means of making presents.
I may remark that their iron ore appears to be easily melted. They dig a small pit in the ground; in the bottom are various holes, through which are driven currents of air by very primitive bellows. Charcoal is thrown in; then the ore, well broken up, is added and covered with charcoal; fresh ore and fresh fuel, in alternate layers, till the furnace is filled. A light is then put to the mass through a hole below, and, the wind being driven in, the process is soon completed.
To-day we nearly had a serious accident: one of the quartermasters, in getting into a canoe, fell into the stream, which, swelled by the heavy rains, was running swiftly by; he was carried away in a moment, but the Kayans were instantly after, and brought him back safe, though half-choked with water.
At sunrise we started on our return. All the inhabitants of the town assembled on the river’s bank to witness our departure. The steamer turned with ease, and was swept with great speed down the stream. We took a native trading vessel in tow, which assisted our steering, and reached the mouth on the following day without the slightest accident.
I hear that the exclamations of the Kayans, when they first perceived the steamer rounding the point, were—“Here is a god come among us!” others cried, “It is a mighty spirit!”
The latitude of the town is 3° 30´; the longitude, 114° 40´.
I regret I was never again enabled to visit the Baram River, as, besides the personal gratification derived, there is a great public good done, by a constant friendly surveillance over the aborigines. Many of the Kayans returned my visit to Labuan, but I was absent; it was not, however, material, as they were well treated by the colonial officers.
Whilst in Baram I could hear nothing to confirm the account that any of the Kayans were cannibals. We first heard the charge against them from three Dayaks of the tribe of Sibaru, whose residence is on the Kapuas River, in the district of Santang, under Dutch influence. I was present when they were carefully questioned, and, though their information has already appeared, I will repeat the substance.