settlement. The Nakodah prudently anchored in mid-stream and
landed by himself to call on the head chief. When the news spread that a
white man was aboard the craft, swarms of delighted Kayans tumbled
pell-mell into their canoes and raced towards it, yelling, laughing,
splashing one another in joyous excitement. But the great chief Tamawan
put a stop to this unseemly demonstration. Rushing from the Council Hall,
where he and his peers were giving audience to the Nakodah, he commanded
the people to return, each to his own dwelling. Stentor had not a grander
voice. It overpowered even that prodigious din. The mob obeyed. They
swarmed back, and, landing, shinned up the forty-foot poles which are
their stairs, like ants; reappearing a moment afterwards on the verandah,
among the tree-tops. These vast 'houses,' containing perhaps a thousand
inmates, lined each bank of the river, and every soul pressed to the
front, mostly shouting--a wild but pleasant tumult.

The chiefs sent an assurance of hearty welcome. Williams paid his
respects; they returned his call on board, and Tamawan invited him to a
feast. Next day another potentate entertained him and then another. Drink
of all sorts, including 'best French brandy,' flowed without
intermission. Williams began to be ill. But there was no talk of
business. His goods had been landed at the Council Hall, as is usual, but
not unpacked. The Nakodah assured him all was right. He himself had a
quantity of merchandise waiting under the same conditions.

So a week passed; etiquette was satisfied, and Tamawan invited him to open
his bales. The chiefs squatted in a semi-circle, all the population
behind, in delicious expectancy. The jars were brought forth--first a
Gusi, the costliest species, worth L300 to L1000 in 'produce,' among the
Dyaks, had it only been genuine. This Williams presented, with an air, to
Tamawan. The chief glanced at it, observed with Kayan frankness that for
his own part he liked brighter colours, and, so to speak, called for the
next article. Williams grasped the fatal truth when he saw how carelessly
his precious Gusi was regarded, not by Tamawan alone but by all. Hoping
against hope, however, he brought forth a Naga--a Rusa. The chiefs became
impatient. 'Show your good trade, Tuan,' they said. Perhaps it was lucky
that he had some miscellaneous 'notions'; but there was only enough to
make the needful presents.

Utter collapse! The foolish fellow had not thought