conspicuous flowers spring from the ground like gigantic mushrooms," Beccari (
The late Sir Hugh Low notes that the Land-Dayaks, who (in common with most of the inland tribes) regulate their farming seasons by the motions of the Pleiades, call that constellation
Hindu gold ornaments and a Persian coin, bearing a date corresponding with the year 960 A.D., have been discovered up the Sarawak river, and some in the centre of the Land-Dayak country, which shows that the people of the ancient Hindu-Javan settlement at Santubong must have spread into the interior, and have mixed with the natives.
29
Afterwards Admiral of the Fleet.
30
Disappointment in marriage and unkindness or harshness on the part of relatives are common causes of suicide by man or woman, but the most common motive is shame, particularly in cases of an unmarried woman, when
31
The worst on record in Sarawak was committed in 1894 by a half-bred Chinaman (his mother was a Segalang, and he was brought up as one) at Seduan village, three miles from Sibu, in the Rejang. This man, who had just been discharged from jail, arose in the middle of the night, and speared or cut down all the inmates of the house – thirteen women and children, of whom only two or three survived. He was shot by Mr. Q. A. Buck, then the Resident at Sibu (joined 1874, retired 1899), who was quickly on the spot, and was the means of preventing a further loss of life.
32
The Sea-Dayaks say that they were constructed by the gods when they made the sky, out of a small surplus of the blue.
33
St. John,
34
35
Meaning a deer in Malay and Sea-Dayak.
36
A misprint for "Tunggang."
37
Late Resident-General of the Federated Malay States.
38
This was written in 1866.
39
Amongst Eastern people any attempt to make a systematic census is liable to be misapprehended, and to give rise to a bad feeling, and even to dangerous scares, and for that reason no census has been made by the Government. This census was an approximation based upon the amount paid in direct taxation, such as head and door taxes, allowing an average of so many people to a family.
40
And so
41
Mr. J. Hewitt, B.A., Curator of the Sarawak Museum in the
42
Kuching Observatory.
43
The
44
Named by the Spaniards Mount St. Paul according to Pigafetta. J. Hunt gives St. Peter's Mount in his
45
But Mr. C. Vernon-Collins, of the Sarawak Civil Service, recently found a bead which has been pronounced at the British Museum to have been made in Venice prior to A.D. 1100. A similar one of the same date was presented by H.H. the Ranee to the British Museum some years ago. It is a bead highly esteemed by the Kayans.
46
"Book of the Descent," Sir Hugh Low. —
47
Jewata is the Land-Dayak name of a god from the Sanskrit word
48
The late Rajah has recorded a tradition of several of the Land-Dayak tribes that in the old times they were under the government of Java, and their tribute was regularly sent there.
49
The title assumed by the rulers of Majapahit, from "Bhatara," noted above.
50
According to Crawfurd. Sir Stamford Raffles gives 1475.
51
Formerly a monarchy whose jurisdiction comprehended all Sumatra, and whose sovereign was talked of with respect in the farthest parts of the East. – Marsden's
52
Lima is a small town on the north coast of Portugal.
53
Sir Hugh Low,
54
See note 2, p. 45.
55
56
57
Forrest's
58
59
Hunt,
60
Dias, in 1487.
61
"Antiquity of Chinese Trade," J. R. Logan in the
62
Forrest,
63
Logan,
64
Mercator's map gives Melano, which confirms this supposition. Other places on the Sarawak coast mentioned in this map are Tamaio-baio, Barulo (Bintulu), Puchavarao (Muka), Tamenacrim, and Tamaratos. The first and two last cannot be identified. Tama is of course for