brown in colour, and when dead, its body becomes quite
black. These are the principal colours of the animal, but often its body
is a combination of these colours, and it looks very beautiful.

Of birds there are to be found many varieties of wood-pigeon, as well as
parrots of different kinds, which fly about in large flocks. There are
also tiny humming-birds with feathers of a bright metallic hue. These
look very pretty as they hover over flowers.

Many other birds are also found in the jungles of Borneo. Some of these
are looked upon by the Dyaks as the agents of the gods and spirits, and
they pay great heed to their cries. The Dyaks know nothing of the God
of Love who cares for His children, and has sent His Son Jesus Christ to
earth to tell us how to live, and so they listen to the voices of these
omen birds, and think that by doing so, they can find out the will of
the higher powers.

CHAPTER VIII

SOME CURIOUS CUSTOMS

There are many curious customs to be met with among the Dyaks of Borneo.
They have the trial by ordeal, by diving, in which two men keep their
heads under water as long as they can. This is their way of referring
disputed questions to supernatural decision. They believe that the gods
are sure to help the innocent, and punish the guilty. When there is a
dispute between two parties, in which it is impossible to obtain
reliable evidence, or where one of the parties is not satisfied with the
decision of the headman of the Dyak house, this ordeal is often resorted
to.

Several preliminary meetings are held by the representatives of both
parties to decide the time, and the place of the match. It is also
decided what property each party should stake. This has to be paid by
the loser to the victor.

For several days and nights before the contest, they gather their
friends together; they make offerings and sing incantations to the
spirits, and beg of them to support their just cause, and help their
representative to win. Each party chooses a champion. There are many
professional divers, who, for a trifling sum, are willing to take part
in this painful contest.

On the evening of the day previous to that on which the diving match is
to take place, each champion is fed with seven compressed balls of
cooked rice. Then each is made to lie down on a nice new mat, and is
covered with a beautiful, Dyak-woven sheet; an incantation is made over
him, and the spirit inhabitants of the waters are invok