On we glided, till at a fresh turn of the river I saw rising above the bank some buildings on poles, extending a considerable way along it. The buildings we were approaching were raised eight or ten feet above the water on strong posts. There were wide platforms of bamboo before them, over part of which projected the roofs of the verandahs. Several ladders hung down from the platforms to enable the inhabitants to ascend from their boats. They were somewhat similar to those we had seen in Papua, but far more substantial, and built in a much more elegant style. The inhabitants, apparently, had only lately risen, and came out on the platforms as we approached. The men were dressed in waistcloths of blue cotton, hanging down behind, mostly bordered with red, blue, and white. Some had handkerchiefs of the same colour bound round their heads, and one or two were ornamented with gold lace. They wore also ear-rings of brass, and moon-shaped, with heavy necklaces of white and black beads. On their arms were numbers of rings made of brass or white shells, while over their shoulders hung their long black shiny hair, which set off to advantage their pure brown skin. Some of them held knife-headed spears in their hands, while to a belt round the waist hung a long slender knife and a pouch with materials for betel-chewing. One man, who seemed to be the chief, wore on his head a bunch of large gaily-coloured feathers secured by a circle round it. They were mostly pleasant-looking people, and seemed ready to welcome us as we approached. The women had far more covering than the men. Round the waist they wore coils of ratan, stained red, to which their petticoats were attached. Below it one whom we took to be a chief’s wife wore a girdle of small silver coins. Others had additional ornaments of brass-wire, but most of them wore a large number of brass rings round not only their arms, but their legs, from the knee to the ankle, while curiously shaped hats adorned with beads ornamented their heads. Altogether they were far superior in appearance to the savages I had expected to see in these regions, and I had little doubt that we had arrived at the mainland of Borneo, and that they were a tribe of Dyaks.
We made signs that we were very thirsty, pointing to our lips, and the chief, coming forward, beckoned us to ascend the ladder. This I did first, Ali following with not so much confidence behind me. He was at once perceived to be a Malay, and he must have known that his countrymen are apt to ill-treat the Dyaks, and consequently he could scarcely have expected to be received by them as a friend. From the looks of the people, however, I had no fears of them, especially when one of the girls, running off, brought back a large bamboo full of cool water. Oh, how delicious it was! the first which had passed my lips for many days. I handed it to Ali, whom they did not seem to treat so courteously as they did me. When I signified that I should be glad of more, instantly a fresh supply was brought me. The chief now addressed Ali, who, I found, fully understood their language, and he seemed to be giving an account of the cause which had brought us to their country. The chief appeared satisfied; and now giving orders to some of the women, a basket containing some pork and rice and some fine-looking bananas was brought to us. I felt no great inclination to eat the pork and rice, for my throat was hot and parched, but I got through a portion; and oh, how delicious were the bananas! No sooner had I got them into my mouth than they seemed to melt away. They were of the colour of the finest yellow butter, and of an exquisite flavour. I felt as I ate that I could never take enough of them. I saw in the open space behind the house a plantation of them, showing that they were carefully cultivated. The Dyaks showed me a corner of a room where I might rest, for they perceived that I was sleepy and weary, and I believe most of the men went out either to cultivate the ground or on a hunting expedition. What became of Ali I could not tell; but as, after a little time, notwithstanding his cool reception, he seemed to be at home with the people, I concluded he would take care of himself.
Chapter Thirty Four.
Walter’s adventures in Borneo.
My Dyak hosts seemed well-disposed towards me; yet, I confess, I was not altogether comfortable in their society. The first morning after my arrival, just as I left my sleeping-corner, I saw a large basket standing in the chief’s room. Supposing it to contain provisions, I looked into it, when, what was my horror to see it filled with a number of dried Imuran heads grinning horribly up at me! I turned away in disgust, when I saw the chief looking at me with a glance of triumph in his eye, just as a civilised person would have been pleased at exhibiting a collection of his orders of merit for gallantry in battle or sagacity in the council. They were trophies, I found, taken by the chief in his wars with neighbouring tribes. Probably it was the possession of these which had raised him to his position in his tribe.
Soon afterwards I saw a number of young men coming along. They were singing and shouting. I saw that one of them had a head, yet gory and fresh, on the top of a spear. A light brown girl, really a pretty creature, ran out to welcome him; and I afterwards discovered that she was his bride-elect, and that he had gone with his companions on a foray in order to obtain this human head, to make himself worthy of her affection. These people were, however, very gentle and mild in their manners to each other, and had I not witnessed this, and similar sights, I could scarcely have supposed they were the savages they have been described. A party soon afterwards assembled, apparently to go out on a hunting expedition. Each man had a wooden tube about five feet long. This was a blow-pipe, through which bamboo arrows are shot with great precision. The points are dipped in a subtle poison, which destroys birds and small animals almost instantaneously when struck with them. Some of the men, also, were armed with bows and arrows. The chief men carried swords about two feet in length, slightly curved, and broad at the end. They were admirably tempered, and the chief, to show me how sharp they were, cut through with a blow a small bar of iron, and then showed me the blade to prove that it was not in the least turned. The poison of their arrows was, I believe, extracted from the juice of a tree similar to the upas-tree of Java. It is called ippo.
I accompanied them on the hunting expedition, when they used generally the blow-pipe I have described. The instant a bird was struck, it dropped dead to the ground. I observed that they immediately cut round where it had been wounded, and all the birds thus killed were afterwards eaten without any bad effect.
Having completely recovered my strength, I was anxious to recommence our voyage, and told Ali of my wish. He, however, seemed in no hurry to go away; but signified that, if I would be content to wait a little longer, he would accompany me. I endeavoured to employ the time in obtaining some knowledge of the Dyak language, as also the habits and customs of the people. I found that at a little distance from this village another existed, inhabited by the same tribe, or at all events the people were on terms of friendship with each other. There was great wailing one day, and I suspected that a person of consequence, perhaps a chief, was very ill, or had died, in the other village. Finding some of the people going in that direction, I followed them. The path, however, was very difficult to walk in, as it was sunk a foot or so below the ground on either side, and was only broad enough for a man’s foot to tread in; the Dyaks walk in a peculiar manner, by placing one foot directly before the other, without in the slightest degree turning out their toes. I found on my arrival at the village that my suspicions were correct. The chief was not dead, but very ill, and as I saw him lying on his mat in an upper room, I perceived that he had not long to live. Had I known at the time more of the customs of the people, I should have been greatly alarmed for my own safety and that of Ali.