Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-10-27
HEAD HUNTERS.
THE 0vAks or BORN 60 AND
THEIR CUSTOMS.


men Afssetionatsiy =. Always az
Wa.
The Dyaks OF Borneo are divided
INTO two great tribes, the sea Dyaks
and the land Dyaks. The latter IRE
fierce, warlike people; and until the
civilized nations sent ships to punish
them, the former were the most dar-
ing and cruel pirates In the world.
The Dyaks Of both tribes are not SO
lark 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
a handsome people. The strongest
men rarely have any beard. and but
for the dress, IL would be difficult to
tell the sexes apart.
The land Dyaks--even tho women
tattoo their arms and chests, but
the sea Dyaks never disfigure them
selves in this way, so that it is easy
to tell them apart. One of the things
that surprised me most among the
land Dynks was the fact that all the
children, boys and girls, had the most
beautiful teeth I ever saw, while the
teeth of the grown-up people were as
black as ink, and shone us II they had
been japanned. The stain for the
teeth is produced from the sap Of a
native tree, and the staining is a
great event among these people. 1t
Is usually followed by feast. for 1t
marks that period of life when the
girl is to be regarded us woman and
the boy as n man.
All the men, women and children
among the land Dyaks delight in
adjoining their arms and ankles with
rings of brass and coils Of copper
wire. The reason the sea Dyaks do
not use these ornaments is that
" they upset their boats, the load
v metal would cause them to sink.
Although considered savages, the
Dyaks build com Portable houses, live
In villages ruled over by chief, and
they are wonderfully skillful In work.
ing iron ore into steel blades. Their
swords IRE only excelled by the fa.
nous blades OF Toledo and Damascus,
and they not only make sharp, bright
swords, but they IRE SO expert In
using them that hand to hand they
have beaten the best English sol.
iiers.
There Is a great deal OF swampy
country in the land OF tho Dyaks, In
Southeastern Bornco, and these OBJ
stncles to travel are overcome, not b,
boards or bridges, such as we have
but by means Of ropes swung from
tree to tree, or from bank to bank
The people cross these slender bridg
es with a rapidity and ease that would
amaze our best tight.rope dancers
Women with unconcern carry great
loads over these ropes, and they
cross them like squirrels, with thell
children strapped to their backs
They use no balancing poles, an;
even little tots of children run ovel
these ropes, or swing from them
seemingly as secure rs II they wer
on the solid earth.
| ] wanted to cross one OF thes
bridges In order to make u journey
but / did not dare undertake 1t
There was nothing left for mo but Il
trust my $50 pounds weight to
Dyak guide. He took me on his bacl
with an case and confidence tina
ought to have reassured me, but 1
did not. closed my eyes and hell
my breath, but that man carried m,
across on rope u hundred feet II
length and not much thicker than ,
clothesline, and he would have car
ricd my rifle and baggage ut the sam,
time Ind ] not violently protested.
Tho women IRE skillful In weavin,
n strong and firm cloth from the fibre
of a native plant, and though Their
Is no need to burden themselves will
heavy garments, their attire Is be
coming and picturesque. The chill
dren, like all the children OF thes
tropic islands. 60 nearly naked, bu
they have a great fondness for wear
ing garlands OF bright.hucd flower
about their heads, and they Otter
make most becoming capes Of TIN
same beautiful but frail materials.
have seen the boys and girls .
every land, but ! do not think l eve
met any 80 slender, graceful, activ
and tireless as tho young land Dyaks
They impressed me in their move
ments and with their pcals OF musicn
laughter, as being Intangible fror
tho descendants Of the fairies G
whom had delighted to read as
child. One OF tho great charms O
the Dyal women and young folks
their hair. 1t Is black, thick, gloss
and well''cared for, and whore Above
to flow freely over the back 1t frt
quently touches the ground.
Unlike most savage races, the Dya
men treat their women with niue
affection and do not throw on ther
the great burden OF the work. TIL
women are good cooks, and all til
Dyaks are great eaters, as are mos
pc >plc who take great deal OF eXel
else. These people have idols, "
they believe that there Is only on
true God, but they have innumerabl
evil spirits, and they have horror {
going near grave ut night, particl
larly the grave Of relative or frient
While they are afraid OF dea
friends, they like to have the tr'
piles OF dead foes near them. The
are great fighters, and they are alway
at war with their neighbors. I'll
great purpose of their battles is
get heads-that is, they cut of I'll
heads of the enemy slain in battl