are only distinguishable
by the numerous rings they wear in their ears. On one man I counted
fourteen of brass, various sizes, in one ear only. They are rather
fond of ornament, and wear grotesque caps of various-colored cloths
(particularly red), some of them square, others peaked, and others like
a cocked hat worn athwart-ships, and terminating in sharp points on
the top of the head. These head-dresses are ornamented with tufts of
red hair or black human hair, shreds of cloth, and sometimes feathers;
but what renders them laughable to look at is, that the hair is cut
close to match the shape of the cap; so that when a man displaces it,
you find him bare of hair about the forehead and posterior part of
the skull, that over the ears cut into points, and the rest of the
skull showing a good crop of black bristles.

"The commanders of this party were yclept poetically by their own
people, as _noms de guerre_, the Sun and the Moon, _i. e._, _Bulan_,
for moon, and _Matari_ for sun. The Sun was as fine a young man as the
eye would wish to rest upon; straight, elegantly yet strongly made,
with a chest and neck, and head set on them, which might serve Apollo;
legs far better than his of Belvidere; and a countenance mild and
intelligent. I became very good friends with both Sun and Moon, and
gave them a great deal of good advice about piracy, which, of course,
was thrown away.

"Their boats are built very long, raised at the stern, and the largest
pulling as many as sixty paddles; but I should not think them fast,
and any boat with a swivel might cut them up. The least average I
could give the hundred boats is twenty-five men per boat, making,
as already observed, 2500 in all. We counted ninety, and there were
others down the reach we could not see; and they themselves stated
their force to be 140 boats and 4000 men. The manners of these Dyaks
toward us were reserved, quiet, and independent. They stole nothing,
and in trading for small quantities of rice, bees-wax, cotton, and
their cloths, showed a full knowledge of the relative value of the
articles, or rather they priced their own at far above their proper
worth. I may indeed say of all the Dyaks I have seen, that they are
anxious to receive, but very loth to give; and when they have obtained
cloth, salt, copper, beads, &c. to the amount of two or three dollars
as a present, will bring in a bunch of plantains or a little rice,
and ask you _to buy_. The Sibnowans are the c