The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

X WAR i8i
it in broad daylight by forming several compact
bodies of about twenty -five men. Each body
protects itself with a roof of shields held closely
together, and the several parties move quickly in
upon the house simultaneously from different points,
and attempt to carry it by assault. The defenders
of the house would attempt to repel such an attack
by hurling heavy bars of iron-wood, sharpened at
both ends, in such a way that the bar twirls in the
air as it hurtles through it ; and this is one of the
few occasions on which the blow-pipe is used as a
weapon of defence.
A village that has been warned of the approach
of the foe may send out a party to attempt to
ambush the attackers at some difficult passage of
the river or the jungle. Scouts are sent out to
locate the enemy. Some climb to the tops of tall
trees to look for the smoke of the enemy's fires.
Having located the enemy, the scouts approach so
closely as to be able to count their numbers and
observe all their movements ; and, keeping in touch
with the party, they send messages to their chief.
If the defenders succeed in ambushing the attackers
and in killing several of them, the latter usually
withdraw discouraged, and may for the time give up
the attempt. If the defending party should come
upon the enemy struggling against a rapid, and
especially if the enemy is in difficulties through the
upsetting of some of their boats, or in any other
way, they may fall upon them in the open bed of
the river, and then ensues the comparatively rare
event, a stand-up fight in the open. This resolves
itself in the main into hand-to-hand duels between
pairs of combatants, as in the heroic age. The
warriors select their opponents and approach warily ;
they call upon one another by name, hurling taunts
and swaggering boastfully in the heroic style.
Each abuses the other's parents, and threatens to