The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1905-04-14
DYAK HEAD HUNTERS
LEGEND OF THE ORIGIN OF THEIR
FEARFUL PRACTICES.

The Bioodthirsty savages Of Borneo
Are Reformed Now, hut In Former
Days No Man Counted UntiI lie Had
Beheaded an Enemy.
The home Of the Dyak head hunters
Is In the forests Of the interior Of Bor-
neo, and in order 10 observe that inter
esting mortal ON his native heath you
must leave behind railroads and steam.
ers. put yourself aud your belongings
into a native ''longbolt" aud travel Tor
days up one Of the great rivers which
rise In the mountains of central Bor
reo and md their way into the China
sea.
The origin OF head hunting among
the Dyaks Is told Ia a legend which has
been handed down from father 10 sou
from some faron time. 10 which even
a Mulhall ot an Edward Atkinson
would hesitate 60 aliiX an exact date
II appears that q certain chief ~ the
fAARF INV W AfNAhHH ANhNNA ~ NAIlNff
was OF with some u his men on I'm
expedition 10 punish a baud ~ robbers
who had attacked a Shop village They
Travelled by river until they reached
point near the camp ~ the robhrr,. and
then. after fastening their bnlts IN the
bank, they waited he the shade uf some
trees 10 cook a gpri round meal before
they made The projected attack Just
as they were about Ia Nilrt TpA,ur
heard a gruI hass voice issuing from
behind bowldrr. nnl 90 gpug tn the
spot he saw q large frog surrounded
by H. young ones IT, greeted the frog
who thcrcupou addressed him ~ length
on the subject Of pyis lighting meth
obs. What fools yuu are be- said. ITO
content yourself when you k.ll au enc.
my by taking biz acllp IN ndirn your
shields and ~cibharls Now. II yuu
would only take the whole bead Won
would dud that every kIul " g,rl fnr.
t'r' would ut,rul You"
AMER some discussion with HE fnl
"oe, Tot'ns decided 9, give the
Cos plan o. trial nud 81, when tlry
lacked ihr r''lv1, thc next dty the,
Co.. E'Dl or' &, carry o1 th, hrii,
J' J" What vp tbr.r aston t,mrnt
.u.',us ,ir rvyr again Q, nul their
IU.. H.rH.. i'uuylirl \. .l,a ~
U.s ,ro ta',,t he the bat, thrt lc
E.H o. u'.' ~ iIt.r own Grepul=thr
1".y tulrHH ut ily river changed and
we'd ulIlL TN thrIr nr,.lll ui the
$3.50 ihvl found thrt iir r.,I, which
o.. ,U.y nHI pnp.rl q frw da,, l.
tnv .Hs Oh val 'ia. lhtt those Wl
O.. '.u .t ittut NO wr.r nov u
vHt. '.'. Soc I1u' ,pgI walk ulI
. Co., IsI ..
llU Tvs uu lmin. ul. Suppressed
fH. Sd. u h'uI. vr.r required IH
,oau- .. wib .J auslf number u'
civil .ul 1H, lr vmng-.
10 % U... ..rI To 800. ur.r.ary o.
iUel-r'e H ..fIr v.I fWaI or Dr.
tIs wUWI.. F.. Ih- ....f u' ii. da
parted yI N. II.f Ia.f o. IIs
earthly D b.t. u"r.la utl.ll TO
balm mliU Jtl. reaj. ~ The dyaJ",
would see ,.Jt pa'irt uc.l1rgt had not
bccn paid .o bis ypg,.s aud Dr. wolII
curse 40 D. UrUtWg relatives >o that
they woulI ice'ur bIui. dcaf or lame.
In SOM .rIlcs d was the custom "a
secure a number VI heads whenever a
chief died under the belief that the
murdered men aud women would 10 "a
the next world with the dead chief /.
his personal attendants.
Hut there was scarcely any lmpor
tant occasion which did not call for
heads A chiefs Guild could no, 10
given n name until = head had been 80
cured: nyak youth could tnd no n
vor IN the eyes OF hts sweetheart until
he had tsicu a head or two. nothing
Insured ~ much g,lpd luck. either Ia
war expeditions or In rice planting. a.
the addition ~ few heads 10 the col
lcCtiUu. with which The ,rrsnda Of ev
cry nyak house was decorated
The head hunter ne seen today In
Bornco u a reformed character. but
although that clcmcnt In bis life which
sxerrisrd a morbid fascination for al
lovers u the horrible aud grolcsaue nc
longer exists. therr remains much ,ha,
h quaint aud interesting In the dally