BIRDS AND BEASTS IN BORNEO
The animal life in Borneo is akin to that of Sumatra and Java, but with
certain differences. Borneo is free from tigers, and this is fortunate,
for travelling through the jungles would be dangerous indeed if tigers
were likely to be encountered. The only wild animals to be found are the
small and comparatively harmless tree-tiger, and the little brown
honey-bear, but neither of these are much feared. Wild boars abound, but
these never attack travellers, and are not a source of danger.
There are many varieties of snakes, varying in size from the python
downwards. The python is a dangerous animal, and can kill a deer or a
wild pig, and swallow it whole. After a meal of that kind, a python is
unable to move for several days.
Monkeys of various kinds abound, and are often seen among the branches,
sitting, hanging by hands or tails, leaping, grimacing, jabbering. There
is the great man-like ape--the _orang-utan_, or _maias_ as he is called
by the Dyaks. As a rule this animal does not exceed the height of four
feet two inches, though there are stories told of its attaining a far
greater size. The height, however, gives a poor idea of the animal's
bulk and strength. The body is as large as that of an average man, but
the legs are extremely short. Its arms are of great length, and measure
over seven feet in spread. The whole body is covered with long red hair.
It rarely attacks man, but when provoked is very ferocious, and as its
strength is very great, it is a foe not to be despised.
Ferocious crocodiles abound in the rivers, but the number of human lives
taken by them is not great. For the most part crocodiles live upon the
animals and fish they catch.
For superstitious reasons, the Dyaks do not interfere with the crocodile
until he has shown some sign of his man-eating propensity. If the
crocodile will live at peace with him, the Dyak has no wish to start a
quarrel. If, however, the crocodile breaks the truce and kills someone,
then the Dyaks set to work to kill the culprit, and keep on catching and
killing crocodiles until they find him. The Dyaks generally wear brass
ornaments, and by cutting open a dead crocodile, they can easily find
out if he is the creature they wish to punish. Sometimes as many as ten
crocodiles are killed before they manage to destroy the animal they
want.
Wild pig and deer are to be found in the jungles, and these are often
hunted by the Dyaks. The Dyaks subsist more on a vegetable and fish
diet than on an animal diet, so hunting with them is only an occasional
pursuit. A Dyak village swarms with dogs, but most of these are of no
use for the chase, and only prowl about the premises, and consume the
refuse food. But some of their dogs, though small in size, are plucky
little animals, and will attack a boar three or four times their size.
Such dogs are of great value to the few Dyaks in each village who care
for hunting. When the dogs are good and know their work, native hunting
is not difficult. The hunter loiters about, and the dogs beat the jungle
for themselves, and when they have found a scent, give tongue, and soon
run the animal to bay. The hunter knows this by their peculiar bark,
hurries to the spot and spears the game. The boars are sometimes very
dangerous when wounded, and turn furiously on the hunter, and unless he
is nimble and climbs up some tree near at hand, or is assisted by his
dogs, he might fare ill in spite of his sword and spear. The dogs are
very useful, and by attacking the hind legs of the animal keep making
him turn round.
Deer are more easily run down than pigs, because they have not the
strength to go any great distance, especially in the hot weather.
A favourite way of catching deer is to send a man to follow the spoor of
a deer, and to find out where it lies to rest during the heat of the
day. Then large nets, made of fine cane, are hung around, and the deer
is driven into these. The hunting party divide into two parties, some to
watch the net, the others, accompanied by a large crowd of women and
children, drive the deer towards it by yelling and shouting. The
startled deer springs from its covert and makes towards the forest, and
gets entangled in the meshes of the net. Before it can extricate itself,
it is killed by the watchers.
Lizards of all sizes abound. There is a small lizard which is seen on
the walls and ceilings as soon as the lamps are lit. It eats up any
mosquitoes or moths that it can find. What happens to this animal in the
daytime, I do not know, but as soon as the lamps are lit several of them
always make their appearance.
There is a large lizard, about a foot long, found sometimes in the Dyak
houses. It makes a loud uncanny sound at night, and cries "_Gok-ko_!" at
intervals. This animal is named after its cry, and is called by the
Dyaks "_Gok-ko_." The natives consider that these lizards bring good
luck, and portend good harvests, so they never kill them.
Many other kinds of lizards are found, but the most remarkable is the
chameleon, which is often seen on the branches of trees. This animal can
change its colour. When in the sun, it is generally a bright green, in
the shade, it is brown in colour, and when dead, its body becomes quite
black. These are the principal colours of the animal, but often its body
is a combination of these colours, and it looks very beautiful.
Of birds there are to be found many varieties of wood-pigeon, as well as
parrots of different kinds, which fly about in large flocks. There are
also tiny humming-birds with feathers of a bright metallic hue. These
look very pretty as they hover over flowers.
Many other birds are also found in the jungles of Borneo. Some of these
are looked upon by the Dyaks as the agents of the gods and spirits, and
they pay great heed to their cries. The Dyaks know nothing of the God
of Love who cares for His children, and has sent His Son Jesus Christ to
earth to tell us how to live, and so they listen to the voices of these
omen birds, and think that by doing so, they can find out the will of
the higher powers.