Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-07-11
AMONG THE DYAKS.
The Head Hunters of Borneo and Their
 Strange Manners and Customs.
 If ,ye caIl Ansfralia q continent. as

many wise men dO, then BofleO Noulu be the largest island in the world. need not tell you where it is, nor that the equator runs through it so that It is warm country.
 There are a great many different tribes in Borneo, with different Ian guages and different forms of pagan ism. of all these 1t is well to know, but for the present I shall take up the time in telling you about the DyalEs
 The Dyass are divided into two great tribes, the sea Dyaks and the land Dyaks. The latter are fierce, warlike people; and until the civilized nations sent ships to punish them, the the former were the most daring and cruel pirates in the world The Dyaks of both tribes are not so dark as our Indians. They are of medium height, and no men in all the world surpass or even equal them in strength and activity While so fierce and cruel, the Dyaks might be called handsome people. The strong est men rarely have any beard, and but for the dress, it would be difficult to tell the sexes apart.
 The land Dyaks-even the women tattoo their arms and breasts. but the sea Dyaks never disfgure themselves in this way, so that it is easy to tell them apart. One of the things that surprised me most among the land Dyaks was the fact that all the chil- dren, boys and girls. had the most beautiful white teeth I ever saw, while the teeth of the grown up people were as black as ink. and shone as if they had been japanned. The stain for the teeth is produced from the sap of a native tree, and the staining is q great event among these people It is usual ly followed by feast, for it marks that period of life when the girl is to be regarded as woman and the boy as man.
 All the men, women and children among the land Dyaks delight in adorn= ing their arms and ankles with rings of brass and coils of copper wire The reason the sea Dyalls do not use these ornaments is that if they upset their boats the load of metal would cause them to sink
 Although considered sayages, the Dyal1s build comfortable houses, live in villages ruled over by chief and they are wonderfully skillful in working iron ore into steel blades. Their swords are only exceled by the famous blades of Toledo and Damascus, and they not only make sharp, bright swords, but they are so expert i'll using them that hand to hand they have beaten the best English soldiers.
 There is q great deal of swampy country in the land of the Dyalzs, in southeastern Berneo, and these ob- stacles to travel are overcome, not by boards or bridges, such us we have, but by means of ropes swung from tree to three, or from bank to bank The people cross these slender bridges with a rapiditx and ease that would amaze our best tight=rope dancers. Women with uneoncern carry great loads over these ropes. and they cross them like squirrels. with their children strapped to their backs. They #use no balancing poles, and even little tots Of children run over these ropes. or swing from them, seemingly as secure as if they were on the solid earth.
 wanted to cross one of these bridges in order to make a journey. but did not dare undertake it. There was nothing left for me but to trust my one hundred and fifty pounds weight to 8 pyak guide. He took me on his back with an ease and confidence that ought to have reasstued me. but it did not. closed my eyes and held my breath but that man carried me across on a rope a hundred feet in length and not much thicker than clothesline, and he would have carried my rifle and bag gage at the same time had not vio- Iently protested.
 The women are slillful in weaving B strong and firm cloth from the flores of a native plant. and though there is no need to burden themselves with heavy garments, their attire is beeom- ing and picturesque. The children, like all the children of these tropie is. lands, go nearly naked but they have a great fondness for wearing garlands Of bright-hued flowers about their heads, and they often make most be- coming eapes of the same beautiful but frail materials.
 l have seen the boys and girls of every land but 1 do not think l ever met any so slender, graceful active and tireless as the young land Dyaks. They inn pressed me in their movements and with their peals of musical laughter. as being intangible from the descendants of the fairies. of whom l had delighted to read as child One of the great charms of the Dyal1 women and young folks is their hair 1t is black. thick, glossy and we'll cared for, and where allowed to flow freely over the back it frequently touches the ground
 Unlike most savage races, the Dyak men treat ther women with much af- lection and do not throw on them the great burden of the work The women are good cooks, and all the Dyaks are great eaters. as are most people who take great deal of exercise. These people have idols, yet they believe that there is only one true God, but they have innumerable evil spirits, and they have horror of going near grave at night. particularly the grave of a rela- tive or friend.
 While they are afraid of dead friends. they like to have the trophies of dead foes near them As I have told you. | f.