a blow-pipe, through which bamboo arrows are shot with great
precision. The points are dipped in a subtle poison, which destroys
birds and small animals almost instantaneously when struck with them.
Some of the men, also, were armed with bows and arrows. The chief men
carried swords about two feet in length, slightly curved, and broad at
the end. They were admirably tempered, and the chief, to show me how
sharp they were, cut through with a blow a small bar of iron, and then
showed me the blade to prove that it was not in the least turned. The
poison of their arrows was, I believe, extracted from the juice of a
tree similar to the upas-tree of Java. It is called _ippo_.

I accompanied them on the hunting expedition, when they used generally
the blow-pipe I have described. The instant a bird was struck, it
dropped dead to the ground. I observed that they immediately cut round
where it had been wounded, and all the birds thus killed were afterwards
eaten without any bad effect.

Having completely recovered my strength, I was anxious to recommence our
voyage, and told Ali of my wish. He, however, seemed in no hurry to go
away; but signified that, if I would be content to wait a little longer,
he would accompany me. I endeavoured to employ the time in obtaining
some knowledge of the Dyak language, as also the habits and customs of
the people. I found that at a little distance from this village another
existed, inhabited by the same tribe, or at all events the people were
on terms of friendship with each other. There was great wailing one
day, and I suspected that a person of consequence, perhaps a chief, was
very ill, or had died, in the other village. Finding some of the people
going in that direction, I followed them. The path, however, was very
difficult to walk in, as it was sunk a foot or so below the ground on
either side, and was only broad enough for a man's foot to tread in; the
Dyaks walk in a peculiar manner, by placing one foot directly before the
other, without in the slightest degree turning out their toes. I found
on my arrival at the village that my suspicions were correct. The chief
was not dead, but very ill, and as I saw him lying on his mat in an
upper room, I perceived that he had not long to live. Had I known at
the time more of the customs of the people, I should have been greatly
alarmed for my own safety and that of Ali.

On my return with several people of our village, the chief m