Produced by A Project Gutenberg volunteer working with digital material generously made available by the Internet Archive CHILDREN OF BORNEO _Uniform with this Volume_ CHILDREN OF INDIA By JANET HARVEY KELMAN CHILDREN OF CHINA By C. CAMPBELL BROWN CHILDREN OF AFRICA By JAMES B. BAIRD CHILDREN OF ARABIA By JOHN CAMERON YOUNG CHILDREN OF JAMAICA By ISABEL C. MACLEAN CHILDREN OF JAPAN By JANET HARVEY KELMAN CHILDREN OF EGYPT By L. CROWTHER CHILDREN OF CEYLON By THOMAS MOSCROP CHILDREN OF PERSIA By MRS NAPIER MALCOLM [Illustration: DYAK CHILDREN] CHILDREN OF BORNEO BY EDWIN H. GOMES, M.A. AUTHOR OF "SEVENTEEN YEARS AMONG THE SEA DYAKS OF BORNEO" [Illustration] WITH EIGHT COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON OLIPHANT, ANDERSON & FERRIER I gratefully acknowledge the permission readily granted by Messrs Seeley & Co. Ltd., to make use of much matter that has already been published in my book, "Seventeen Years Among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo," and I would recommend that book to those who wish for more information about Borneo and its inhabitants. EDWIN H. GOMES. TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS. EDINBURGH To LITTLE PAUL CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. The Island of Borneo--Jungles--The Dyaks--Dyak Life in the Old Day 9 II. The Coming of the White Rajah--The Missionaries 13 III. A Dyak Village House 18 IV. Dyak Babies and Children 23 V. Manner of Life--Occupation 28 VI. Head-Hunting 32 VII. Birds and Beasts in Borneo 37 VIII. Some Curious Customs 41 IX. Dyak Feasts 45 X. The Witch Doctor 51 XI. Some Animal Stories 56 XII. Omens and Dreams 63 XIII. Marriages and Burials 68 XIV. A Dyak Legend 73 XV. Dyak Beliefs and Superstitions 87 XVI. Conclusion 90 ILLUSTRATIONS DYAK CHILDREN _Frontispiece_ PAGE A DYAK VILLAGE HOUSE 18 GIRLS WEAVING 30 ON THE WARPATH 36 A DYAK GIRL IN GALA COSTUME 50 IN WEDDING FINERY 68 KILLING BIRDS WITH A BLOW-PIPE 74 A DYAK YOUTH 88 CHILDREN OF BORNEO CHAPTER I THE ISLAND OF BORNEO--JUNGLES--THE DYAKS--DYAK LIFE IN THE OLD DAYS