So suspicious had my men become from hearing the Muruts describe the treachery of the head-hunters, that when the relieving party approached them, they warned them off, threatening them with their guns; the Muruts fortunately shouted out Orang Kaya Upit’s name and then they were trusted. While sitting round the fires this evening, I noticed a sound like Brooke, and listening more attentively I heard “Tuan Brooke! Tuan Brooke!” continually repeated. I asked what it was they were referring to. One of the interpreters explained how delighted they were to see the adopted son (for so I found I had been introduced) of the great Mr. Brooke, the friend of the aborigines, the fame of whose good deeds had reached even this very secluded people; and their only surprise was that he who had given peace and happiness to the “Southern Dayaks” should neglect to extend his benefits to the Northern. They thought that a word from him would stop all the invasions of the Kayans, and enable them to return to their own regretted country.
I was very anxious to trace the means by which intelligence was conveyed to these Muruts of the peace and plenty that now reigned among the Dayaks of Sarawak, and the way in which it reached this tribe was very simple. When their communities broke up on the Upper Limbang, some fled to the interior, while others made their way down the river to the country at present inhabited nearer the sea. At rare intervals, a party would start to visit their relations, and though, as I have shown, they occasionally suffered heavy losses as at the Naga Surei rapid, yet the practice was kept up. Sir James Brooke’s name is of course very familiar wherever the Malays extend, and, although many would try to prejudice the minds of the aborigines against him and every other Englishman, yet the effect would not be permanent, as they all remember and ponder on that great event, the capture of Brunei by Sir Thomas Cochrane’s squadron.
To those unaccustomed to these oppressed aborigines, it would appear incredible—the awe and fear inspired by the Sultan and his nobles in former times; and the idea was universal that the Bornean government was the greatest and most powerful in the world; but our navy gave a rude shock to that belief, and the joy among the aborigines on hearing that the court was obliged to hide itself in the jungle, and afterwards humbly apologize for its conduct, spread far and near. They now began to give more credence to the stories which had been spread by men like Japer of the power of the English, and of the justice with which our countrymen ruled men. Adang visitors carried back to the far interior imperfect versions of these affairs, but what dwelt in their minds was, that there were some of their countrymen who were happy under the rule of Tuan Brooke.
Though they knew something of him in this way, similar stories reached them from other sources; slowly the news spread through the villages bordering on the Trusan, and were carried up against the stream to meet the same tales brought over by the Kayan envoys, who declared that Tuan Brooke was their great ally, and therefore the Adangs were anxious to secure his influence to put down the Kayan forays.
The highest peak beyond the houses above 5,500 feet is called Lobang Rimau, “The Tigers’ Cave,” about which they tell this story: that formerly a tiger killed a woman; the people turned out, and gave chase; the tigers, eight in number, took refuge in a cave near the peak; the hunters lit a great fire at the entrance, and smoked them to death. Since then there have been no tigers, but the place has been called “Tigers’ Cave” to this day; and it is worth noticing that the Muruts of Padas have a great dread of ascending to the summit of some of their highest mountains, on account of the tigers which still, they say, lurk in the deepest recesses of the forest.
CHAPTER V.
MY LIMBANG JOURNAL—continued.
Women’s Ornaments—Adorning in Public—Confidence shown by a young Girl—Geography—Leech Bites—Tapioca—The Manipa Stream—The False and True Brayong—Nothing but Rice to be purchased—Wild Raspberries—Good Shots—The Rifle Carbine—Death of a Kite—Picking a Cocoa-nut—Curious Statement—A Village of Runaways—Proposed Slave Hunt—Disappointment—Appearance of the Women—Old Look of the Children—Devoid of Drapery—Preparing the Plantations—No Goods for Sale—Edible Bird’s-nest Cave—Difficulties in penetrating farther—Determine to return—Climate—New Route—Custom in Drinking similar to the Chinese—Anecdote of Irish Labourers—Change of Plans—Fashion of wearing Brass Wire—Start on a Tour among the Villages—The Burning Path—Village of Purté—Refreshing Drink—The Upper Trusan—Distant Ranges—Inviting and receiving Invitations—Fatal Midnight Revel—Tabari’s Village—Alarm of Orang Kaya Upit—Suspension Bridge—Inhabitants—Scheme of the Adangs to return to their old Districts—Deers’ Horns—Mourning—Difficult Walking—The Tiger’s Leap—Meet Si Puntara—No Real Enemies—Murud—The Gura Peak—The Main Muruts—Salt as well as Slave Dealers—Bearskin Jacket—White Marble—Uncertainty whence procured—Leaden Earrings— Unbecoming Custom—Lofty Mountains—Lawi Cloud-hidden—Muruts busy Farming—Two Harvests a Year—Agricultural Produce plentiful—Obtain a Goat—Dress of the Men—Bead Petticoats—Custom of burying on the Tops of the Lofty Hills—Desecration of Graves—Jars—Discovery of one in Brunei—Similar Millanau Customs.
September 19th.—Many of the women in this village wear fillets of beads round their heads to keep back the hair; it looks well at a distance, but when near, most of them are so dirty that nothing could look well upon them. Here is a girl going out to the fields to work, and she is putting on her ornaments; first, the bands round the head; then a necklace of beads of twenty strings; then a chain made of brass wire, each link four or five inches long, but most of them wear the last ornament round the waist. Perhaps she is in a hurry. One might suppose that these adornments are worn in honour of our visit, as they must be inconvenient to a woman at work.
Yesterday morning, while out walking, a young girl brought me some sticks of sugar-cane; her companions remaining a hundred yards off; for this, in the afternoon, she was duly rewarded with a looking-glass. I like this confidence, and detest the system they have in some tribes of running away shrieking—all false modesty, as they are seldom really afraid. The trade in beads for rice appears brisk, and so we need have no fear about provisions.
I have been trying to understand the geography of this part of Borneo, but I am exceedingly puzzled by the position of Brayong; it bears N. E. by N. The valley leading up to these mountains is very picturesque and park-like, with its extensive clearings and clumps of trees scattered about. To the north the hills slope gently to the rivers, and appear to afford splendid spots for cultivation; from this view, even Brayong appears approachable by a very easy ascent.