ed to come to the
aid of the man whose cause is just.

Early the next morning the champions are roused from their sleep, and
dressed each in a fine new waistcloth. The articles staked are brought
down from the houses, and placed upon the bank. A large crowd of men,
women and children join the procession of the two champions and their
friends and supporters to the scene of the contest at the river-side. As
soon as the place is reached, fires are lit and mats are spread for the
divers to sit on and warm themselves. While they sit by their respective
fires, the necessary preparations are made.

Each party provides a roughly-constructed wooden grating, to be placed
in the bed of the river, for his champion to stand on in the water.
These are placed within a few yards of each other, where the water is
deep enough to reach the waist, and near each a pole is thrust firmly
into the mud for the man to hold on to while he is diving.

The two divers are led into the river, and each stands on his own
grating, grasping his pole. At a given signal they plunge their heads
simultaneously into the water. Immediately the spectators shout aloud at
the top of their voices, over and over again, "_Lobon--lobon_," and
continue doing so during the whole contest. What these mysterious words
mean, I have never been able to discover. When at length one of the
champions shows signs of yielding, by his movements in the water, and
the shaking of the pole he is holding to, the excitement becomes very
great. "_Lobon--lobon_," is shouted louder and more rapidly than before.
The shouts become deafening. The struggles of the poor victim, who is
fast losing consciousness, are painful to witness. The champions are
generally plucky, and seldom come out of the water of their own will.
They stay under water until the loser drops senseless, and is dragged
ashore, apparently lifeless, by his companions. The friends of the
winner, raising a loud shout of triumph, hurry to the bank and seize and
carry off the stakes. The vanquished one, quite unconscious, is carried
by his friends to the fire, where he is warmed. In a few minutes he
recovers, opens his eyes and gazes wildly around, and in a short time is
able to walk slowly home. Where both champions succumb at the same time,
the one who first regains his senses is held to be the winner.

The Dyaks have a curious superstition that if food is offered to a man,
and he refuses it, and goes away without at least t