Borneo, its geographical bounds and leading divisions.--British
settlements in 1775.--The province of Sarawak formally ceded by
the sultan in perpetuity to Mr. Brooke its present ruler.--General
view of the Dyaks, the aborigines of Borneo.--The Dyaks of Sarawak,
and adjoining tribes; their past oppression and present position.
I will now endeavor to make the reader better acquainted with the
nature of a country and people so imperfectly known, by offering that
general view of its past events and present condition which will
make the information respecting them more intelligible, as well as
applicable to new circumstances and future measures.
By looking at the map, it will be seen that the island of Borneo
extends over 11 degrees of latitude and as many of longitude, from
4 deg. N. to 7 deg. S., and 108 deg. to 119 deg. E. The N.W. coast is but thinly
populated; and the natives who inhabit the banks of some of the
beautiful rivers differ, as has been already stated, from each
other in manners and customs, and have but little communication
among themselves. The S., E., and N.E. coasts of Borneo are also
but thinly inhabited, and very little known. There are various
divisions of Malays, as well as different tribes of Dyaks, who live
in an unsettled state, and occasionally make war on one another:
their principal occupation, however, is piracy. The north part of
the island was once in the possession of the East India Company, who
had a settlement and factory on the island of Balambangan, which was
attacked in 1775, when in a weak and unguarded state, by a powerful
piratical tribe of Sooloos, who surprised the fort, put the sentries
to death, and turned the guns on the troops, who were chiefly Buguese
(or Bugis) Malays. Those who escaped got on board the vessels in
the harbor, and reached the island of Labuan, near the mouth of the
Borneo river; while the booty obtained by the pirates was estimated
at 375,000_l._ From that time to this these atrocious pirates have
never been punished, and still continue their depredations.
The remainder of the coast on the N.W. is now called Borneo Proper,
to distinguish it from the name that custom has given to the whole
island, the original name of which was Kalamantan, and Bruni that of
the town now called Borneo. The latter was probably the first part
of the coast ever visited by Europeans, who consequently extended
the appellation to the island itself. The town of Borneo, situated
on the river of that name, was, until the last few years, a port
of some wealth, and carrying on an extensive trade, which has been
ruined entirely by the rapacity of the Malay chiefs, who have now
but little control over that part of Borneo Proper which lies to the
northward of the river. The province of Sarawak is situated at the
S.W. end of Borneo Proper, and was formally ceded in perpetuity by the
sultan in 1843 to Mr. Brooke, who, indeed, had possessed the almost
entire management of the district for the two previous years. "It
extends from Tanjong Datu (I quote from Mr. Brooke's description of
his territory) to the entrance of the Samarahan river, a distance
along the coast of about sixty miles in an E.S.E. direction, with
an average breadth of fifty miles. It is bounded to the westward
by the Sambas territory, to the southward by a range of mountains
which separate it from the Pontiana river, and to the eastward by
the Borneon territory of Sadong. Within this space then are several
rivers and islands, which it is needless here to describe at length,
as the account of the river of Sarawak will answer alike for the
rest. There are two navigable entrances to this river, and numerous
smaller branches for boats, both to the westward and eastward; the
two principal entrances combine at about twelve miles from the sea,
and the river flows for twenty miles into the interior in a southerly
and westerly direction, when it again forms two branches--one running
to the right, the other to the left hand, as far as the mountain
range. Beside these facilities for water-communication, there exist
three other branches from the easternmost entrance, called Morotaba,
one of which joins the Samarahan river, and the two others flow from
different points of the mountain range already mentioned. The country
is diversified by detached mountains, and the mountain range has an
elevation of about three thousand feet. The aspect of the country may
be generally described as low and woody at the entrance of the rivers,
except a few high mountains; but in the interior undulating in parts,
and part presenting fine level plains. The climate may be pronounced
healthy and cool, though for the six months from September to March a
great quantity of rain falls. During my three visits to this place,
which have been prolonged to eight months, and since residing here,
we have been clear of sickness, and during the entire period not one
of three deaths could be attributed to the effects of climate. The
more serious maladies of tropical climates are very infrequent; from
fever and dysentery we have been quite free, and the only complaints
have been rheumatism, colds, and ague; the latter, however, attacked
us in the interior, and no one has yet had it at Sarawak, which is
situated about twenty-five miles from the mouth of the river.
"The soil and productions of this country are of the richest
description, and it is not too much to say, that, within the same
given space, there are not to be found the same mineral and vegetable
riches in any land in the world. I propose to give a brief detail
of them, beginning with the soil of the plains, which is moist and
rich, and calculated for the growth of rice, for which purpose
it was formerly cleared and used, until the distractions of the
country commenced. From the known industry of the Dyaks, and their
partiality to rice-cultivation, there can be little doubt that it
would become an article of extensive export, provided security
were given to the cultivator and a proper remuneration for his
produce. The lower grounds, beside rice, are well adapted for the
growth of sago, and produce canes, rattans, and forest-timber of the
finest description for ship-building and other useful purposes. The
Chinese export considerable quantities of timber from Sambas and
Pontiana, particularly of the kind called Balean by the natives,
or the lion-wood of the Europeans; and at this place it is to be had
in far greater quantity and nearer the place of sale. The undulating
ground differs in soil, some portions of it being a yellowish clay,
while the rest is a rich mold; these grounds, generally speaking, as
well as the slopes of the higher mountains, are admirably calculated
for the growth of nutmegs, coffee, pepper, or any of the more valuable
vegetable productions of the tropics. Beside the above mentioned
articles, there are birds'-nests, bees-wax, and several kinds of
scented wood, in demand at Singapore, which are all collected by the
Dyaks, and would be gathered in far greater quantity provided the
Dyak was allowed to sell them.
"Turning from the vegetable to the mineral riches of the country,
we have diamonds, gold, tin, iron, and antimony ore certain; I have
lately sent what I believe to be a specimen of lead ore to Calcutta;
and copper is reported. It must be remembered, in reading this list,
that the country is as yet unexplored by a scientific person, and that
the inquiries of a geologist and a mineralogist would throw further
light on the minerals of the mountains, and the spots where they are
to be found in the greatest plenty. The diamonds are stated to be
found in considerable numbers, and of a good water; and I judge the
statement to be correct from the fact that the diamond-workers from
Sandak come here and work secretly, and the people from Banjamassim,
who are likewise clever at this trade, are most desirous to be allowed
to work for the precious stone. Gold of a good quality certainly is to
be found in large quantities. The eagerness and perseverance of the
Chinese to establish themselves is a convincing proof of the fact;
and ten years since a body of about 3000 of them had great success
in procuring gold by their ordinary mode of trenching the ground.
"The quantity of gold yearly procured at Sambas is moderately stated
at 130,000 bunkals, which, reckoned at the low rate of 20 Spanish
dollars a bunkal, gives 2,600,000 Spanish dollars, or upward of half
a million sterling. The most intelligent Chinese are of opinion,
that the quantity here exceeds that at Sambas; and there is no good
reason to suppose it would fall short of it were once a sufficient
Chinese population settled in the country.
"Antimony ore is a staple commodity, which is to be procured in any
quantity. Tin is said to be plentiful, and the Chinese propose working
it; but I have had no opportunity of visiting the spot where it is
found. Copper, though reported, has not been brought; and the iron ore
I have examined is of inferior quality. The specimen of what I supposed
to be lead ore has been forwarded to Calcutta, and it remains to be
seen what its value may be. And beside the above-mentioned minerals,
there can be little doubt of many others being discovered, if the
mountain range was properly explored by any man of science. Many
other articles of minor importance might be mentioned; but it is
needless to add to a list which contains articles of such value,
and which would prove the country equal in vegetable and mineral
productions to any in the world.
"From the productions (continues Mr. Brooke) I turn to the inhabitants,
and I feel sure that in describing their sufferings and miseries I
shall command the interest and sympathy of every person of humanity,
and that the claims of the virtuous and most unhappy Dyaks will meet
with the same attention as those of the African. And these claims have
the advantage, that much good may be done without the vast expenditure
of lives and money which the exertions on the African coast yearly
demand, and that the people would readily appreciate the good that was
conferred upon them, and rapidly rise in the scale of civilization."
The inhabitants may be divided into three different classes, viz. the
Malays, the Chinese, and the Dyaks; of the two former little need be
said, as they are so well known.
The Dyaks (or more properly Dyak) of Borneo offer to our view
a primitive state of society; and their near resemblance to
the Tarajahs of Celebes, [21] to the inland people of Sumatra,
and probably to the Arafuras of Papua, [22] in customs, manners,
and language, affords reason for the conclusion that these are the
aboriginal race of the Eastern Archipelago, nearly stationary in their
original condition. While successive waves of civilization have swept
onward the rest of the inhabitants, while tribes as wild have arisen
to power, flourished, and decayed, the Dyak in his native jungles
still retains the feelings of earlier times, and shows the features
of society as it existed before the influx of foreign races either
improved or corrupted the native character.
The name "Dyak" has been indiscriminately applied to all the wild
people on the island of Borneo; but as the term is never so used
by themselves, and as they differ greatly, not only in name, but in
their customs and manners, we will briefly, in the first instance,
mention the various distinct nations, the general locality of each,
and some of their distinguishing peculiarities.
1st. The Dusun, or villagers of the northern extremity of the island,
are a race of which Mr. Brooke knows nothing personally; but the name
implies that they are an agricultural people: they are represented as
not being tattooed, as using the sumpitan, and as having a peculiar
dialect. [23]
2d. The Murut. They inhabit the interior of Borneo Proper. They are
not tattooed, always use the sumpitan, and have a peculiar dialect. In
the same locality, and resembling the Murut, are some tribes called
the Basaya.
3d. The Kadians (or Idaans of voyagers) use the sumpitan, and have
likewise a peculiar dialect; but in other respects they nowise differ
from the Borneons, either in religion, dress, or mode of life. They
are, however, an industrious, peaceful people, who cultivate the
ground in the vicinity of Borneo Proper, and nearly as far as Tanjong
Barram. The wretched capital is greatly dependent upon them, and,
from their numbers and industry, they form a valuable population. In
the interior, and on the Balyet river, which discharges itself near
Tanjong Barram, is a race likewise called Kadian, not converted to
Islam, and which still retains the practice of "taking heads."
4th. The Kayan. The Kayans are the most numerous, the most powerful,
and the most warlike people in Borneo. They are an inland race,
and their locality extends from about sixty miles up the country
from Tanjong Barram to the same extent farther into the interior, in
latitude 3 deg. 30' N., and thence across the island to probably a similar
distance from the eastern shore. Their customs, manners, and dress are
peculiar, and present most of the characteristic features of a wild
and independent people. The Malays of the N.W. coast fear the Kayans,
and rarely enter their country; but the Millanows are familiar with
them, and there have thence been obtained many particulars respecting
them. They are represented as extremely hospitable, generous, and kind
to strangers, strictly faithful to their word, and honest in their
dealings; but on the other hand, they are fierce and bloodthirsty,
and when on an expedition, slaughter without sparing. The Kayans are
partially tattooed, use the sumpitan, have many dialects, and are
remarkable for the strange and apparently mutilating custom adopted
by the males, and mentioned by Sir Stamford Raffles.
5th. To the southward and westward of Barram are the Millanows,
[24] who inhabit the rivers not far from the sea. They are, generally
speaking, an intelligent, industrious, and active race, the principal
cultivators of sago, and gatherers of the famous camphor barus. Their
locality extends from Tanjong Barram to Tanjong Sirak. In person
they are stout and well-made, of middling height, round good-tempered
countenances, and fairer than the Malays. They have several dialects
among them, use the sumpitan, and are not tattooed. They retain the
practice of taking heads, but they seldom seek them, and have little
of the ferocity of the Kayan.
6th. In the vicinity of the Kayans and Millanows are some wild tribes,
called the Tatows, Balanian, Kanowit, &c. They are probably only a
branch of Kayans, though differing from them in being elaborately
tattooed over the entire body. They have peculiar dialects, use the
sumpitan, and are a wild and fierce people.
7th. The Dyak. They are divided into Dyak Darrat and Dyak Laut, or
land and sea Dyaks. The Dyak Lauts, as their name implies, frequent
the sea; and it is needless to say much of them, as their difference
from the Dyak Darrat is a difference of circumstances only. The tribes
of Sarebus and Sakarran, whose rivers are situated in the deep bay
between Tanjong Sipang and Tanjong Sirak, are powerful communities,
and dreadful pirates, who ravage the coast in large fleets, and murder
and rob indiscriminately; but this is by no means to be esteemed a
standard of Dyak character. In these expeditions the Malays often join
them, and they are likewise made the instruments for oppressing the
Laut tribes. The Sarebus and Sakarran are fine men, fairer than the
Malays, with sharp keen eyes, thin lips, and handsome countenances,
though frequently marked by an expression of cunning. The Balows and
Sibnowans are amiable tribes, decidedly warlike, but not predatory;
and the latter combines the virtues of the Dyak character with much
of the civilization of the Malays. The Dyak Laut do not tattoo, nor
do they use the sumpitan; their language assimilates closely to the
Malay, and was doubtless originally identical with that of the inland
tribes. The name of God among them is Battara (the Avatara of the
Hindoos). They bury their dead, and in the graves deposit a large
portion of the property of the deceased, often to a considerable
value in gold ornaments, brass guns, jars, and arms. Their marriage
ceremony consists in two fowls being killed, and the forehead and
breast of the young couple being touched with the blood; after which
the chief, or an old man, knocks their heads together several times,
and the ceremony is completed with mirth and feasting. In these two
instances they differ from the Dyak Darrat.
It must be observed that the Dyak also differs from the Kayan in not
being tattooed; and from the Kayan Millanows, &c., in not using the
_national_ weapon--the sumpitan. The Kayan and the Dyak, as general
distinctions, though they differ in dialect, in dress, in weapons,
and probably in religion, agree in their belief of similar omens,
and, above all, in their practice of taking the heads of their
enemies; but with the Kayan this practice assumes the aspect of an
indiscriminate desire of slaughter, while with the Dyak it is but
the trophy acquired in legitimate warfare. The Kadians form the only
exception to this rule, in consequence of their conversion to Islam;
and it is but reasonable to suppose, that with a slight exertion
in favor of Christianity, others might be induced to lay aside this
barbarous custom.
With respect to the dialects, though the difference is considerable,
they are evidently derived from a common source; but it is remarkable
that some words in the Millanow and Kayan are similar to the Bugis and
Badjow language. This intermixture of dialects, which can be linked
together, appears to be more conclusive of the common origin of the
wild tribes and civilized nations of the Archipelago than most other
arguments; and if Marsden's position be correct (which there can be
little or no reason to doubt), that the Polynesian is an original race
with an original language, [25] it must likewise be conceded that the
wild tribes represent the primitive state of society in these islands.
We know little of the wild tribes of Celebes beyond their general
resemblance to the Kayans of the east coast of Borneo; and it is
probable that the Kayans are the people of Celebes, who crossing the
Strait of Makassar, have in time by their superior prowess possessed
themselves of the country of the Dyaks. Mr. Brooke (from whom I am
copying this sketch) is led to entertain this opinion from a slight
resemblance in their dialects with those used in Celebes, from the
difference in so many of their customs from those of the Dyaks, and
from the Kayans of the _northwest coast of Borneo_ having one custom
in common with the wild tribe of Minkoka in the Bay of Boni. Both
the Kayans and Minkokas on the death of a relative seek for a head;
and on the death of their chief many human heads must be procured:
which practice is unknown to the Dyak. It may further be remarked,
that their probable immigration from Celebes is supported by the
statement of the Millanows, that the Murut and Dyak give place to the
Kayan whenever they come in contact, and that the latter people have
depopulated large tracts in the interior, which were once occupied
by the former.
Having thus briefly noticed the different wild people of the island,
I proceed with the more particular task of describing the Dyak Darrats.
The locality of these Dyaks may be marked as follows:--The Pontiana
river, from its mouth, is traced into the interior toward the northward
and westward, until it approaches at the farthest within 100 miles of
the northwest coast; a line drawn in latitude 3 deg. N. till it intersects
the course of the Pontiana river will point out the limit of the
country inhabited by the Dyak. Within this inconsiderable portion of
the island, which includes Sambas, Landak, Pontiana, Sangow, Sarawak,
&c., are numerous tribes, all of which agree in their leading customs,
and make use of nearly the same dialect. Personally (writes our sole
authority for any intelligence respecting them), I am acquainted only
with the tribes of Sarawak and some tribes further in the interior
beyond the government of the Malays, who inhabit the country between
Sarawak and Landak; and the description of one tribe will serve as
a description of all, so little do they vary.
Before, however, I say anything of the character of the Dyaks, or their
temper, it will be necessary to describe briefly the government under
which they live, and the influence it has upon them; and if afterward
in the recital there appear some unamiable points in their character,
an allowance will be made for their failings, which those who rule
them would not deserve.
The Dyaks have from time immemorial been looked upon as the bondsmen
of the Malays, and the rajahs consider them much in the same light
as they would a drove of oxen--_i. e._ as personal and disposable
property. They were governed in Sarawak by three local officers, called
the Patingi, the Bandar, and the Tumangong. To the Patingi they paid a
small yearly revenue of rice, but this deficiency of revenue was made
up by sending them a quantity of goods--chiefly salt, Dyak cloths,
and iron--and demanding a price for them six or eight times more than
their value. The produce collected by the Dyaks was also monopolized,
and the edible birds'-nests, bees-wax, &c. &c. were taken at a price
fixed by the Patingi, who moreover claimed mats, fowls, fruits, and
every other necessary at his pleasure, and could likewise make the
Dyaks work for him for merely a nominal remuneration. This system,
not badly devised, had it been limited within the bounds of moderation,
would have left the Dyaks plenty for all their wants; or had the local
officers known their own interest, they would have protected those upon
whom they depended for revenue, and under the worst oppression of one
man the Dyaks would have deemed themselves happy. Such unfortunately
was not the case; for the love of immediate gain overcame every other
consideration, and by degrees old-established customs were thrown
aside, and new ones substituted in their place. When the Patingi
had received all he thought proper to extort, his relatives first
claimed the right of arbitrary trade, and gradually it was extended
as the privilege of every respectable person in the country to serra
[26] the Dyaks. The poor Dyak, thus at the mercy of half the Malay
population, was never allowed to refuse compliance with these demands;
he could plead neither poverty, inability, nor even hunger, as an
excuse, for the answer was ever ready: "Give me your wife or one of
your children;" and in case he could not supply what was required,
the wife or the child was taken, and became a slave. Many modes of
extortion were resorted to; a favorite one was convicting the Dyak of
a fault and imposing a fine upon him. Some ingenuity and much trickery
were shown in this game, and new offences were invented as soon as
the old pleas would serve no longer; for instance, if a Malay met a
Dyak in a boat which pleased him, he notched it, as a token that it
was his property; in one day, if the boat was a new one, perhaps three
or more would place their marks on it; and as only one could get it,
the Dyak to whom the boat really belonged had to pay the others _for
his fault_. This, however, was only "a fault;" whereas, for a Dyak
to injure a Malay, directly or indirectly, purposely or otherwise,
was a _high offence_, and punished by a proportionate fine. If a
Dyak's house was in bad repair, and a Malay fell in consequence and
was hurt, or pretended to be hurt, a fine was imposed; if a Malay in
the jungle was wounded by the springs set for a wild boar, or by the
wooden spikes which the Dyaks for protection put about their village,
or scratched himself and said he was injured, the penalty was heavy;
if the Malay was _really hurt_, ever so accidentally, it was the
ruin of the Dyak. And these numerous and uninvited guests came and
went at pleasure, lived in free quarters, made their requisitions,
and then forced the Dyak to carry away for them the very property of
which he had been robbed.
This is a fair picture of the governments under which the Dyaks live;
and although they were often roused to resistance, it was always
fruitless, and only involved them in deeper troubles; for the Malays
could quickly gather a large force of sea Dyaks from Sakarran, who
were readily attracted by hope of plunder, and who, supported by
the fire-arms of their allies, were certain to overcome any single
tribe that held out. The misfortunes of the Dyaks of Sarawak did not
stop here. Antimony ore was discovered; the cupidity of the Borneons
was roused; then Pangerans struggled for the prize; intrigues and
dissensions ensued; and the inhabitants of Sarawak in turn felt
the very evil they had inflicted on the Dyaks; while the Dyaks were
compelled, amid their other wrongs, to labor at the ore without any
recompense, and to the neglect of their rice-cultivation. Many died in
consequence of this compulsory labor, so contrary to their habits and
inclinations; and more would doubtless have fallen victims, had not
civil war rescued them from this evil, to inflict upon them others
a thousand times worse.
Extortion had before been carried on by individuals, but now it
was systematized; and Pangerans of rank, for the sake of plunder,
sent bodies of Malays and Sakarran Dyaks to attack the different
tribes. The men were slaughtered, the women and children carried
off into slavery, the villages burned, the fruit-trees cut down,
[27] and all their property destroyed or seized.
The Dyaks could no longer live in tribes, but sought refuge in
the mountains or the jungle, a few together; and as one of them
pathetically described it--"We do not live," he said, "like men; we are
like monkeys; we are hunted from place to place; we have no houses; and
when we light a fire, we fear the smoke will draw our enemies upon us."
In the course of ten years, under the circumstances detailed--from
enforced labor, from famine, from slavery, from sickness, from
the sword--one half of the Dyak population [28] disappeared; and
the work of extirpation would have gone on at an accelerated pace,
had the remnant been left to the tender mercies of the Pangerans;
but chance (we may much more truly say Providence) led our countryman
Mr. Brooke to this scene of misery, and enabled him, by circumstances
far removed beyond the grounds of calculation, to put a stop to the
sufferings of an amiable people.
There are twenty tribes in Sarawak, on about fifty square miles
of land. The appearance of the Dyaks is prepossessing: they have
good-natured faces, with a mild and subdued expression; eyes set
far apart, and features sometimes well formed. In person they are
active, of middling height, and not distinguishable from the Malays
in complexion. The women are neither so good-looking nor well-formed
as the men, but they have the same expression, and are cheerful and
kind-tempered. The dress of the men consists of a piece of cloth
about fifteen feet long, passed between the legs and fastened round
the loins, with the ends hanging before and behind; the head-dress
is composed of bark-cloth, dyed bright yellow, and stuck up in front
so as to resemble a tuft of feathers. The arms and legs are often
ornamented with rings of silver, brass, or shell; and necklaces
are worn, made of human teeth, or those of bears or dogs, or of
white beads, in such numerous strings as to conceal the throat. A
sword on one side, a knife and small betel-basket on the other,
complete the ordinary equipment of the males; but when they travel
they carry a basket slung from the forehead, on which is a palm-mat,
to protect the owner and his property from the weather. The women wear
a short and scanty petticoat, reaching from the loins to the knees,
and a pair of black bamboo stays, which are never removed except the
wearer be _enceinte_. They have rings of brass or red bamboo about the
loins, and sometimes ornaments on the arms; the hair is worn long;
the ears of both sexes are pierced, and earrings of brass inserted
occasionally; the teeth of the young people are sometimes filed to a
point and discolored, as they say that "Dogs have white teeth." They
frequently dye their feet and hands of a bright red or yellow color;
and the young people, like those of other countries, affect a degree
of finery and foppishness, while the elders invariably lay aside all
ornaments, as unfit for a wise person or one advanced in years.
In character the Dyak is mild and tractable, hospitable when he is
well used, grateful for kindness, industrious, honest, and simple;
neither treacherous nor cunning, and so truthful that the word of
one of them might safely be taken before the oath of half-a-dozen
Borneons. In their dealings they are very straightforward and correct,
and so trustworthy that they rarely attempt, even after a lapse
of years, to evade payment of a just debt. On the reverse of this
picture there is little unfavorable to be said; and the wonder is,
they have learned so little deceit or falsehood where the examples
before them have been so rife. The temper of the Dyak inclines to be
sullen; and they oppose a dogged and stupid obstinacy when set to a
task which displeases them, and support with immovable apathy torrents
of abuse or entreaty. They are likewise distrustful, fickle, apt to
be led away, and evasive in concealing the amount of their property;
but these are the vices rather of situation than of character, for
they have been taught by bitter experience that their rulers set no
limits to their exactions, and that hiding is their only chance of
retaining a portion of the grain they have raised. They are, at the
same time, fully aware of the customs by which their ancestors were
governed, and are constantly appealing to them as a rule of right,
and frequently arguing with the Malay on the subject. Upon these
occasions they are silenced, but not convinced; and the Malay, while
he evades or bullies when it is needful, is sure to appeal to these
very much-abused customs whenever it serves his purpose. The manners
of the Dyaks with strangers are reserved to an extent rarely seen
among rude or half-civilized people; but on a better acquaintance
(which is not readily acquired), they are open and talkative, and,
when heated with their favorite beverage, lively, and evincing
more shrewdness and observation than they have gained credit for
possessing. Their ideas, as may well be supposed, are very limited;
they reckon with their fingers and toes, and few are clever enough to
count beyond twenty; but when they repeat the operation, they record
each twenty by making a knot on a string.
Like other wild people, the slightest restraint is irksome, and
no temptation will induce them to stay long from their favorite
jungle. It is there they seek the excitement of war, the pleasures of
the chase, the labors of the field, and the abundance of fruit in the
rich produce which assists in supporting their families. The pathless
jungle is endeared to them by every association which influences the
human mind, and they languish when prevented from roaming there as
inclination dictates.
With reference to the gradual advance of the Dyaks, Mr. Brooke
observes in an early part of his journal:--"The peaceful and
gentle aborigines--how can I speak too favorably of their improved
condition? These people, who, a few years since, suffered every extreme
of misery from war, slavery, and starvation, are now comfortably
lodged, and comparatively rich. A stranger might now pass from village
to village, and he would receive their hospitality, and see their padi
stored in their houses. He would hear them proclaim their happiness,
and praise the white man as their friend and protector. Since the
death of Parembam, no Dyak of Sarawak lost his life by violence, until
a month since, when two were cut off by the Sakarran Dyaks. None of
the tribes have warred among themselves; and I believe their war
excursions to a distance in the interior have been very few, and
those undertaken by the Sarambos. What punishment is sufficient for
the wretch who finds this state of things so baleful as to attempt
to destroy it? Yet such a wretch is Seriff Sahib. In describing the
condition of the Dyaks, I do not say that it is perfect, or that it
may not be still further improved; but with people in their state
of society innovations ought not rashly or hastily to be made; as
the civilized being ought constantly to bear in mind, that what is
clear to him is not clear to a savage; that intended benefits _may_
be regarded as positive injuries; and that his motives are not, and
scarcely can be, appreciated! The greatest evil, perhaps, from which
the Dyaks suffer, is the influence of the Datus or chiefs; but this
influence is never carried to oppression, and is only used to obtain
the expensive luxury of 'birds'-nests' at a cheap rate. In short,
the Dyaks are happy and content; and their gradual development must
now be left to the work of time, aided by the gentlest persuasion,
and advanced (if attainable) by the education of their children."
The latest accounts from Sarawak describe the increasing prosperity
of that interesting settlement. Among other recent intelligence I
have heard from Mr. Brooke that Seriff Sahib died of a broken heart,
shortly after his arrival at the Pontiana river.