a room. A portion of the floor was covered
with mats on which the occupants sleep, with an earth section for a
fire. There was no furniture of any kind. The roof of the building was
covered with square pieces of palm like those used on the sampans, and
these could be raised in each room when necessary for air.

"This apartment is occupied by one family, or by a married couple, and
unmarried men and boys sleep in the attic overhead," said Mr. Eng. "It
has but one door, the one opening into the main hall. This is a house of
sixteen doors; and by this enumeration the size of the village is
stated, and this number gauges the taxes to be paid."

"Citizens cannot dodge their taxes here, then, as some of them do in the
United States," said Scott.

The party walked the entire length of the hall, and then passed out upon
the platform, which was not covered, and was used for various purposes,
such as drying rice or other articles. The floors were composed of
strips of palm, not more than an inch and a half wide, and placed an
inch apart. They were lashed to the floor joists, or poles, with rattan.

"Those doors, which indicate the taxable rate of the village, look as
though they were cut out of single planks," said Scott.

"And so they are," replied the agent.

"I have seen no saw-mills here, and I suppose they bring the lumber from
England or India."

"Not at all, though some may be obtained in that manner. They are made
from the buttress of the tapang-tree, which you must have seen."

"I have not noticed any such thing, though perhaps none of us could
identify it," replied the captain.

"It is found growing out in triangular form from just above the roots of
the tree. In a large one it is twelve or fifteen feet long. It makes a
natural plank two inches thick, which may be trimmed into any shape with
the biliong."

The party were ready to depart; and they made all sorts of courteous
gestures to their hosts, especially the ladies. The women asked them for
tobacco, as Achang interpreted the requests. They had none, but some of
the seamen supplied them with all they had about them.

CHAPTER X.

THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE DYAKS.

After seeing the sleeping accommodations of the Dyaks, consisting of a
mat on a rather uneven floor, the Americans concluded to pass the night
on board of the yacht. They invited Mr. Eng to supper on board, and he
passed the evening with them in the cabin.

"You have seen the Dy