the malay archipelago-1-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


efs　and　waist…cloths　showing　to　much　advantage；　and　forming　a　very　pleasing　sight。　On　being　called　by　Bujon；　they　immediately　left　their　game　to　carry　my　things　up　to　the　〃headhouse；〃a　circular　building　attached　to　most　Dyak　villages；　and　serving　as　a　lodging　for　strangers；　the　place　for　trade；　the　sleeping…room　of　the　unmarried　youths；　and　the　general　council…chamber。　It　is　elevated　on　lofty　posts；　has　a　large　fireplace　in　the　middle　and　windows　in　the　roof　all　round；　and　forms　a　very　pleasant　and　comfortable　abode。　In　the　evening　it　was　crowded　with　young　men　and　boys；　who　came　to　look　at　me。　They　were　mostly　fine　young　fellows；　and　I　could　not　help　admiring　the　simplicity　and　elegance　of　their　costume。　Their　only　dress　is　the　long　〃chawat；〃　or　waist…cloth；　which　hangs　down　before　and　behind。　It　is　generally　of　blue　cotton；　ending　in　three　broad　bands　of　red；　blue；　and　white。　Those　who　can　afford　it　wear　a　handkerchief　on　the　head；　which　is　either　red；　with　a　narrow　border　of　gold　lace；　or　of　three　colours；　like　the　〃chawat。〃　The　large　flat　moon…shaped　brass　earrings；　the　heavy　necklace　of　white　or　black　beads；　rows　of　brass　rings　on　the　arms　and　legs；　and　armlets　of　white　shell；　all　serve　to　relieve　and　set　off　the　pure　reddish　brown　skin　and　jet…black　hair。　Add　to　this　the　little　pouch　containing　materials　for　betel…chewing；　and　a　long　slender　knife；　both　invariably　worn　at　the　side；　and　you　have　the　everyday　dress　of　the　young　Dyak　gentleman。

The　〃Orang　Kaya；〃　or　rich　man；　as　the　chief　of　the　tribe　is　called；　now　came　in　with　several　of　the　older　men；　and　the　〃bitchara〃　or　talk　commenced；　about　getting　a　boat　and　men　to　take　me　on　the　next　morning。　As　I　could　not　understand　a　word　of　their　language；　which　is　very　different　from　Malay；　I　took　no　part　in　the　proceedings；　but　was　represented　by　my　boy　Bujon；　who　translated　to　me　most　of　what　was　said。　A　Chinese　trader　was　in　the　house；　and　he；　too；　wanted　men　the　next　day；　but　on　his　hinting　this　to　the　Orang　Kaya；　he　was　sternly　told　that　a　white　man's　business　was　now　being　discussed；　and　he　must　wait　another　day　before　his　could　be　thought　about。

After　the　〃bitchara　〃was　over　and　the　old　chiefs　gone；　I　asked　the　young　men　to　play　or　dance；　or　amuse　themselves　in　their　accustomed　way；　and　after　some　little　hesitation　they　agreed　to　do　so。　They　first　had　a　trial　of　strength；　two　boys　sitting　opposite　each　other；　foot　being　placed　against　foot；　and　a　stout　stick　grasped　by　both　their　hands。　Each　then　tried　to　throw　himself　back；　so　as　to　raise　his　adversary　up　from　the　ground；　either　by　main　strength　or　by　a　sudden　effort。　Then　one　of　the　men　would　try　his　strength　against　two　or　three　of　the　boys；　and　afterwards　they　each　grasped　their　own　ankle　with　a　hand；　and　while　one　stood　as　firm　as　he　could；　the　other　swung　himself　around　on　one　leg；　so　as　to　strike　the　other's　free　leg；　and　try　to　overthrow　him。　When　these　games　had　been　played　all　around　with　varying　success；　we　had　a　novel　kind　of　concert。　Some　placed　a　leg　across　the　knee；　and　struck　the　fingers　sharply　on　the　ankle；　others　beat　their　arms　against　their　sides　like　a　cock　when　he　is　going　to　crow；　this　making　a　great　variety　of　clapping　sounds；　while　another　with　his　hand　under　his　armpit　produced　a　deep　trumpet　note；　and；　as　they　all　kept　time　very　well；　the　effect　was　by　no　means　unpleasing。　This　seemed　quite　a　favourite　amusement　with　them；　and　they　kept　it　up　with　much　spirit。

The　next　morning　we　started　in　a　boat　about　thirty　feet　long；　and　only　twenty…eight　inches　wide。　The　stream　here　suddenly　changes　its　character。　Hitherto；　though　swift；　it　had　been　deep　and　smooth；　and　confined　by　steep　banks。　Now　it　rushed　and　rippled　over　a　pebbly；　sandy；　or　rocky　bed；　occasionally　forming　miniature　cascades　and　rapids；　and　throwing　up　on　one　side　or　the　other　broad　banks　of　finely　coloured　pebbles。　No　paddling　could　make　way　here；　but　the　Dyaks　with　bamboo　poles　propelled　us　along　with　great　dexterity　and　swiftness；　never　losing　their　balance　in　such　a　narrow　and　unsteady　vessel；　though　standing　up　and　exerting　all　their　force。　It　was　a　brilliant　day；　and　the　cheerful　exertions　of　the　men；　the　rushing　of　the　sparkling　waters；　with　the　bright　and　varied　foliage；　which　from　either　bank　stretched　over　our　heads；　produced　an　exhilarating　sensation　which　recalled　my　canoe　voyages　on　the　grander　waters　of　South　America。

Early　in　the　afternoon　we　reached　the　village　of　Borotói；　and；　though　it　would　have　been　easy　to　reach　the　next　one　before　night；　I　was　obliged　to　stay；　as　my　men　wanted　to　return　and　others　could　not　possibly　go　on　with　me　without　the　preliminary　talking。　Besides；　a　white　man　was　too　great　a　rarity　to　be　allowed　to　escape　them；　and　their　wives　would　never　have　forgiven　them　if；　when　they　returned　from　the　fields；　they　found　that　such　a　curiosity　had　not　been　kept　for　them　to　see。　On　entering　the　house　to　which　I　was　invited；　a　crowd　of　sixty　or　seventy　men；　women；　and　children　gathered　around　me；　and　I　sat　for　half　an　hour　like　some　strange　animal　submitted　for　the　first　time　to　the　gaze　of　an　inquiring　public。　Brass　rings　were　here　in　the　greatest　profusion；　many　of　the　women　having　their　arms　completely　covered　with　them；　as　well　as　their　legs　from　the　ankle　to　the　knee。　Round　the　waist　they　wear　a　dozen　or　more　coils　of　fine　rattan　stained　red；　to　which　the　petticoat　is　attached。　Below　this　are　generally　a　number　of　coils　of　brass　wire；　a　girdle　of　small　silver　coins；　and　sometimes　a　broad　belt　of　brass　ring　armour。　On　their　heads　they　wear　a　conical　hat　without　a　crown；　formed　of　variously　coloured　beads；　kept　in　shape　by　rings　of　rattan；　and　forming　a　fantastic　but　not　unpicturesque　headdress。

Walking　out　to　a　small　hill　near　the　village；　cultivated　as　a　rice…field；　I　had　a　fine　view　of　the　country；　which　was　becoming　quite　hilly；　and　towards　the　south；　mountainous。　I　took　bearings　and　sketches　of　all　that　was　visible；　an　operation　which　caused　much　astonishment　to　the　Dyaks　who　accompanied　me；　and　produced　a　request　to　exhibit　the　compass　when　I　returned。　I　was　then　surrounded　by　a　larger　crowd　than　before；　and　when　I　took　my　evening　meal　in　the　midst　of　a　circle　of　about　a　hundred　spectators　anxiously　observing　every　movement　and　criticising　every　mouthful；　my　thoughts　involuntarily　recurred　to　the　lion　at　feeding　time。　Like　those　noble　animals；　I　too　was　used　to　it；　and　it　did　not　affect　my　appetite。　The　children　here　were　more　shy　than　at　Tabokan；　and　I　could　not　persuade　them　to　play。　I　therefore　turned　showman　myself；　and　exhibited　the　shadow　of　a　dog's　head　eating；　which　pleased　them　so　much　that　all　the　village　in　succession　came　out　to　see　it。　The　〃rabbit　on　the　wall〃　does　not　do　in　Borneo；　as　there　is　no　animal　it　resembles。　The　boys　had　tops　shaped　something　like　whipping…tops；　but　spun　with　a　string。

The　next　morning　we　proceeded　as　before；　but　the　river　had　become　so　rapid　and　shallow　and　the　boats　were　all　so　small；　that　though　I　had　nothing　with　me　but　a　change　of　clothes；　a　gun；　and　a　few　cooking　utensils；　two　were　required　to　take　me　on。　The　rock　which　appeared　here　and　there　on　the　riverbank　was　an　indurated　clay…slate；　sometimes　crystalline；　and　thrown　up　almost　vertically。　Right　and　left　of　us　rose　isolated　limestone　mountains；　their　white　precipices　glistening　in　the　sun　and　contrasting　beautifully　with　the　luxuriant　vegetation　that　elsewhere　clothed　them。　The　river　bed　was　a　mass　of　pebbles；　mostly　pure　white　quartz；　but　with　abundance　of　jasper　and　agate；　presenting　a　beautifully　variegated　appearance。　It　was　only　ten　in　the　morning　when　we　arrived　at　Budu；　and；　though　there　were　plenty　of　people　about；　I　could　not　induce　them　to　allow　me　to　go　on　to　the　next　village。　The　Orang　Kaya　said　that　if　I　insisted　on　having　men；　of　course　he　would　get　them；　but　when　I　took　him　at　his　word　and　said　I　must　have　them；　there　came　a　fresh　remonstrance；　and　the　idea　of　my　going　on　that　day　seemed　so　painful　that　I　was　obliged　to　submit。　I　therefore　walked　out　over　the　rice…fields；　which　are　here　very　extensive；　covering　a　number　of　the　little　hills　and　valleys　into　which　the　whole　country　seems　broken　up；　and　obtained　a　fine　view　of　hills　and　mountains　in　every　direction。

In　the　evening　the　Orang　Kaya　came　in　full　dress　（a　spangled　velvet　jacket；　but　no　trowsers）；　and　invited　me　over　to　his　house；　where　he　gave　me　a　seat　of　honour　under　a　canopy　of　white　calico　and　coloured　handkerchiefs。　The　great　verandah　was　crowded　with　people；　and　large　plates　of　rice　with　cooked　and　fresh　eggs　were　placed　on　the　ground　as　presents　for　me。　A　very　old　man　then　dressed　himself　in　bright…coloured　cloths　and　many　ornaments；　and　sitting　at　the　door；　murmured　a　long　prayer　or　invocation；　sprinkling　rice　from　a　basin　he　held　in　his　hand；　while　several　large　gongs　were　loudly　beaten　and　a　salute　of　muskets　fired　off。　A　large　jar　of　rice　wine；　very　sour　but　with　an　agreeable　flavour；　was　then　handed　around；　and　I　asked　to　see　some　of　their　dances。　These　were；　like　most　savage　performances；　very　dull　and　ungraceful　affairs；　the　men　dressing　themselves　absurdly　like　women；　and　the　girls　making　themselves　as　stiff　and　ridiculous　as　possible。　All　the　time　six　or　eight　large　Chinese　gongs　were　being　beaten　by