I am indebted to His Highness the Rajah of Sarawak for permission to insert his portrait; to Dr. Charles Hose for his great kindness in allowing me to use his excellent photographs, and also to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts for lending me one of their blocks; to Messrs. Bassano, of Bond Street, and Messrs. G. R. Lambert and Co., of Singapore, whose photographs I am kindly permitted to reproduce; to Mr. Hewitt, formerly curator of the Sarawak Museum; and Mr. Ha Buey Hon, of Kuching, who have also been so good as to lend me photographs. To all these, as well as to many unmentioned friends who have helped me to write this book, I offer my sincere thanks. EDWIN H. GOMES. UPPER NORWOOD, _December, 1910_. CONTENTS PAGES CHAPTER I SARAWAK—SIR JAMES BROOKE Bornean jungles—A picture from the past—Unsettled life—Sudden attacks—Head-hunting—Pirates—Malay pirates—Dyak pirates—Sir James Brooke—the _Royalist_—Rajah Muda Hassim—Rajah of Sarawak—Suppression of piracy and head-hunting—Captain Keppel—Visit to England, 1847—Introduction of Christian mission—Sir Charles Brooke 21-32 CHAPTER II THE DYAKS The word “Dyak”—Other native races in Sarawak—_Milanaus_— _Kayans_—_Kinyehs_—Cruelty—_Ukits_—_Bukitans_—_Punans_— _Seru_—Sea Dyaks—Land Dyaks—The appearance of the Sea Dyak—Men’s dress—Tattooing—Women’s dress—_Rawai_, or corset—The teeth—Depilation—Language 33-41 CHAPTER III MANNER OF LIFE Dyak village house—_Tanju_—_Ruai_—_Bilik_—_Sadau_—Human heads—Valuable jars—Paddy-planting—Men’s work—Women’s work—House-building—Boat-building—_Kadjangs_—Dyak tools—_Bliong_—_Duku_—Weaving—Plaiting mats and basket-making—Hunting—Traps—Fishing—Spoon-bait—Casting-net— _Tuba_-fishing—Crocodile-catching 42-60 CHAPTER IV THE DYAK CHARACTER General remarks—Kind to children—Industrious—Frugal—Honest—Two cases of theft—Curses—Honesty of children—Truthful—Curious custom—_Tugong Bula_—Hospitable—Morals—Desire for children—Divorce—Adultery—Dyak law concerning adultery—Dyak view of marriage—Unselfishness—Domestic affection—Example 61-71 CHAPTER V HEAD-HUNTING