The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

v.] BORNEO—JOURNEY IN THE INTERIOR. 53here were more shy than at Tabokan, and I could not persuadethem to play. I therefore turned showman myself, and exliibitedthe shadow of a dog's jiead eating, which jDleased them so muchthat all the village in succession came out to see it. The"rabbit on the wall" does not do in Borneo, as there is noanimal it resembles. The boys had tops shaped something likewhipping-tops, but spun with a string.The next morning we proceeded as before, but the river hadbecome so rapid and shallow, and the boats were all so small, thatthough I had nothing with me but a change of clothes, a gun,and a few cooking utensils, two were required to take me on.The rock which appeared here and there on the river-bank wasan indurated clay-slate, sometimes cr3^stalline, and thrown upalmost vertically. Riglit and left of us rose isolated limestonemountains, their white precipices glistening in the sun and contrastingbeautifully with the luxuriant vegetation that elsewhereclothed them. The river bed was a mass of i^ebbles, mostly purewhite quartz, but with abundance of jaspar and agate, presentinga beautifully variegated appearance. It was only ten in themorning when we arrived at Budw, and, though there wereplenty of people about, I could not induce them to allow me togo on to the next village. The Orang Kaya said that if I insistedon having men of course he would get them ; but when I took himat liis word and said I must have them, there came a fresh remonstrance; and the idea of my going on that day seemed sopainful that I was obliged to submit. I therefore walked outover the rice-fields, which are here very extensive, covering anumber of the little hills and valleys into which the wholecountry seems broken up, and obtained a fine view of hills andmountains in every direction.In the evening the Orang Kaya came in full dress (a spangledvelvet jacket, but no trousers), and invited me over to his house,where he gave me a seat of honour under a canopy of white calicoand coloured handkerchiefs. The great verandah was crowdedwith people, and large plates of rice with cooked and fresh eggswere placed on tJie ground as presents for me.A very old manthen dressed himself in bright-coloured cloths and many ornaments,and sitting at the door, murmured a long prayer orinvocation, sprinkling rice from a basin he held in his hand,while several large gongs were loudly beaten and a salute ofmuskets fired off'. A large jar of rice wine, very sour but -withan agreeable flavour, was then handed round, and I asked to seesome of their dances. These Avere, like most savage performances,very dull and ungraceful affairs ; the men dressing themselvesabsurdly like women, and tlie girls making themselves as stiff"and ridiculous as possible. All the time six or eight large Chinesegongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many youngmen, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escapeto the round house, where I slept verj"- comfortable with half adozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over mv head.