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BORNEO AND

from his father, and an invitation for us to pay him a visit at his
house whenever we should feel inclined.

DYAK WOMEN IN CANOE.

Preparatory to landing, we began performing our ablutions in the
boat, much to the amusement and delight of the naked groups of
Dyaks who were assembled at the landing place, and who eyed us
in mute astonishment. The application of a hair brush was the
signal for a general burst of laughter, but cleaning the teeth with a
tooth brush caused a scream of wonder, a perfect yell, I presume at
our barbarous customs. There were many women among the groups;
they appeared to be well made, and more than tolerably good looking.
I need not enter into a very minute description of their attire, for,
truth to say, they had advanced very little beyond the costume of our
common mother Eve. We were soon in closer contact with them,

BORNEO AND

DYAK WOMEN IN CANOE.

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Yale Center for British Art, 2016

THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.

turbed by the crowing of a whole army of cocks, which assured us
of the proximity of the town we were in search of. We got under
weigh, and, rounding the point, Loondoo hove in sight, a fine town,
built in a grove of cocoa-nut trees, and by no means despicably
fortified. We found our progress arrested by a boom composed of
huge trees fastened together by coir cables, and extending the whole
width of the river. Had our intentions been hostile, it would have
taken some time to have cut the fastenings of this boom, and we should,
during the operation, have been exposed to a double line of fire
from two forts raised on each side of the river. The Chief of Loondoo
had, however, been duly advised of our intended visit, and as soon
as our boats were seen from the town, a head-man was sent out in
a canoe to usher us in. After a little delay we got the barge within
the boom. When within, we found that we had further reason to
congratulate ourselves that we came as friends, as the raking fire
from the forts would have been most effectual, for we discovered that
we had to pass an inner boom equally well secured as the first. The
town was surrounded by a strong stockade made of the trunks of the
knee-bone palm, a wood superior in durability to any known. This
stockade had but one opening of any dimensions. A few strokes of
the oars brought us abreast of it, and we let go our anchors. The
eldest son of the Chief came to us immediately in a canoe. He was
a splendidly formed young man, about twenty-five years old. He wore
his hair long and flowing, his countenance was open and ingenuous,
his eyes black and knowing. His dress was a light blue velvet jacket
without sleeves, and a many-coloured sash wound round his waist.
His arms and legs, which were symmetrical to admiration, were
naked, but encircled with a profusion of heavy brass rings. He
brought a present of fowls, cocoa-nuts, and bananas to Mr. Brooke

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