Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-12-05
More Light on the "Wild Man" Of
H0rneo.
Morals Of This Parsonage Superior to
Races In Same state Of civillxa-
tlon--Hls wife, Child, Dog and
Flea, Well Known.

We all have heard of the Wild Man
OF Borneo and his dog and his child
and his wife and the rest Of his belong
ings as enumerated In the ditty Of our
childhood, and now comes descrip-
ton OF his characteristics, which prove
to be queer enough, from an English
clergyman who knows the wild man
better than the late Phineas T. Bar.
mum, who first exhibited one Of him
In the United States, ever did. The
clergyman, says the Detroit Free
Press, is Rev. Edwin H. Comes. who
has spent II years among the Sea
Dyaks. or wild men Of Borneo. and
whose account Of them Is highly enter
tanning.
According to Mr.. Comes, who is now
In London George Washington would
be canonized by the wild men Of Bor-
neo did they happen to know that such
person ever existed. for they are al
most, II not quite, the most truthful
race on earth. So disgraceful. in fact.
do they consider the deceiving Of 9TH
ers by an untruth, that such conduct
Is handed down to posterity by curl.
Gus custom.
They heap up vast pile of branch
es of trees in memory of the man who
has uttered a great lie," says Mr..
Comes, 80 that future generations
may know Of his wickedness and take
warning by 1t. The persons deceived
start the tugongbula-the liars mound
by heaping up a large number Of
branches in some conspicuous spot by
the side of the path leading from one
village TO another. Every passer-by
contributes to 1t, and at the same time
curses the man in memory of whom
1t is."
The Dyaks, who used. Of course. to
be head hunters. but are not now to
any extent, would also apparently
agree with Punch's famous answer to
the question: "1s life worth living?
which was 1T depends on the liver"
for In Oakland this much maligned
organ, instead Of the heart, is sup
posed to be the seat Of the various
qualities and emotions.
When" says Mr.. Comes. "the Dy-
axis wish to describe the great courage
Of a man, they say he has brave
liver Intelligence also resides In the
liver, and a man of knowledge is one
possessing an enlightened liver Kind.
ness is the quality of the man who
has large liver and perseverance
that Of one who has hard liver A
weak. undecided man Is spoken Of as
one who has soft liver
Logic appears to be the wild man
Of BorpeoS weakest point.
"The most contradictory opinions"
says Mr.. Comes. seem to dwell to-
gether in perfect harmony in the tur-
gid stream Of his mind. He cannot dis
tinguish between coincidence and
causation, and will argue that because
his grandfather died after he had
climbed a tree, therefore his death
was caused by his climbing the tree,
and consequently neither his father
nor himself nor his children are to
climb trees II they wish to enjoy
health.
1.-THE faculty Of moral perception is
so indefinitely latent among the Dy-
AXIS" adds Mr.. Comes, that one is in
clined to say that they possess no con-
science. In spite OF this. in his jungle
home the Dyak is remarkably honest.
Families are often away from their
homes for weeks at a time, and though
no one is left in charge OF their rooms
In the long village house. things are
seldom lost. Sometimes Dyaks be-
come demoralized by associating with
other races in the 'towns, but a case Of
theft among the Dyaks in their native
wilds Is indeed rare"
This reverend student Of the wild
man Of Borneo winds up by saying
that. Notwithstanding his lack Of initi-
alive and other faults. consideration
Of his thoughts, customs, belief and
Ideals shows that he is every inch 4
man. that his mental powers are equal
to those of other races in the same
stage Of civilization and his moral
character far superior to theirs.