each tribe are
usually divided into their fighting men, those who manufacture arms, and
those who cultivate the ground and make ornaments for the women.
Although addicted to warfare, they still cultivate the ground; they
treat their women better than do most savages, always the mark of a
superior grade in civilisation; they do not torture prisoners as do the
North American Indians, although they cut off the heads of those they
kill.

They believe in one God, and fancy that heaven is situated at the top of
Kina Balow, their highest mountain, and that the pass is defended by a
savage dog. It is curious that the North American Indians and the
Greeks of old had a similar notion.

In their warfare they are as fierce and remorseless as the Red Indian,
and, without the fair warning which he gives to his enemies, they attack
them in the dead of night, and slay all they meet. I heard of a race of
people who inhabited the woods in the interior, who go about entirely
without clothing; they sleep under the overhanging branches of trees,
make a fire to keep off the wild beasts and snakes, and, cover
themselves with a piece of bark. When the children can take care of
themselves, they quit their parents to pursue the same course. The
Dyaks hunt them, and shoot their children in the trees with sumpits as
they would monkeys. I had heard of these wild people; and one day in
the woods, with another slave, we observed what I was convinced was one
of them, standing before me with a huge stick in his hands; but instead
of being without clothing, he had a well-made coat of skin on his
shoulders. We were both unarmed; and as my companion instantly ran
away, I was afraid that he might retaliate on me the injuries he had so
often received. He looked at me fiercely for a minute, and then
brandishing his stick, advanced towards me. I saw that I was not likely
to escape by running, and fully expected to have my brains knocked out.
Luckily a branch of a tree lay near me; I seized it, and rushed towards
my antagonist. To my surprise he instantly threw down his stick, and
began to climb a tree near him. I was now the assailant; and as my
courage increased, his oozed out, and he climbed from branch to branch
in an endeavour to make his escape. On nearer examination, what I took
to be a coat was his natural skin; and I discovered that instead of a
wild man, an enormous ourang-outang was before me. As I had no wish to
molest him, I began to