with the tribes in the interior of Borneo and who has studied their life and ways. We are likewise indebted to this traveler for several very excellent photographs illustrating this magnificent giant of the Borneo jungles, the mode of sampling the living tree, the collection of the camphor from the felled trunk and the sale of the collected product to Chinese merchants. The following account is quoted from Mr. Furness' work entitled: "The Home-Life of Borneo HeadHunters; its Festivals and Folk-Lore."

"Before setting out for the depths of the jungle where the camphor tree grows, the Kayans first look for a bird known to them. as 'Isit' a Spider hunter (Arachnothera longirostris or Anthreptes malaccensis), and should it be seen flying across their path, from right to left, the omen is not good, there will be poor luck in their search; if it be seen flying in the opposite way, there will be good luck. After they have seen the Spider hunter, they must next look for the common Red Hawk, whose flight must be also from left to right; if its flight be from right to left, their search will be fruitless, or else heavy calamity will happen to them, and they had far better return home at once. When both these omen bearers have been seen flying favorably, the Pajan, or Rain Bird, and the Tela-au, or Barking Deer, must be either seen or heard on the right-hand side of the trail; but even when all these omens have been favorably observed, the camphor searchers are not yet free to pursue their quest. For a final omen, they seek for a certain snake, 'Batang limu' (Simotes octolineatus), and the most strenuous efforts must be made to kill it; should it escape, they may as well return home; they will find no camphor, even though all the other omens have been auspicious.

"As soon as they have decided upon the tributary stream, 'near whose banks they are to direct their search, a rattan is stretched across its mouth, as Jama explained to me, and as is set forth on page 115 above; on this rattan are hung wooden images and models of parangs, billiongs, spears, and the wooden wedges used in splitting up the trunks of the felled camphor trees; this gives notice to other camphor hunters, or to passing strangers, that the stream is closed and all trespassing forbidden. When they have selected the camphor tree, which they intend to cut down, they build their hut near it, and then, after the first strokes of the axe, if they hear the note of an Omen bird, they give up work for the rest of the day, and sit idle in their hut. But if all omens are favorable, and they find that the tree

Punans testing the productiveness of a camphor tree by smelling the chips cut from the trunk about ten feet from the ground. Expert collectors can tell by the strength of the odor whether or not the tree is rich in crystals.

is likely to prove rich in camphor, they plant near their hut a stake, whereof the outer surface has been cut into curled shavings and tufts down the sides and at the top. (I suggest as possible that these shavings represent the curling tongue of flame which communicate with the unseen Powers.) When the Kayans are collecting camphor, they are under no restrictions as to food, nor are they forbidden to speak to people whom they may meet, although they will not allow strangers to enter their hut. With many other tribes, all communication with strangers is strictly forbidden; the Sibops, for instance, when asked, by people whom they meet, the usual question: Where are you going? maintain a stony silence.

"When the camphor tree has been felled, the trunk is cut into small pieces, and during this process the searchers are clad in their most showy war-clothes and armed with parang and spear. It is in the crevices of the fibre of the wood that the crystals are found (a peculiarity of the Borneo camphor), and the searchers seem to regard the tree as a fallen foe, who can be made to yield his hidden treasure only at the point of sword and spear.

The search for the crystals is tedious work; each piece of wood must be split with the greatest care and examined with minuteness. No camphor is found within twenty feet from the root, and trees productive of camphor crystals are always hollow; it is, therefore, probable that no crystals are found unless the tree has in some way been injured. Besides the crystals, there is always an abundance of oil, useful as an embrocation; and there is also usually a quantity of soft camphor, called 'Kaper Bata,' not yet crystallized; yellow, resinous crystals are of no value. The blossoms of the tree have a strong smell of camphor, and near its roots is usually found a peculiar luminous fungus.

"Many tribes when on an expedition for camphor must not talk among themselves in their own language about their quest, but must use 'camphor language.' The Malanau tribes are herein very strict; the crystals will immediately dissolve if any language be used other than the camphor language. The Malanau word for to return is 'Beteku;' to hide in the Malanau language is 'palim,' but when on a camphor hunt they say 'krian.' Similarly, all common names for implements and for food are changed. One would expect to find an interesting remnant of an ancient language in this camphor dialect,

Iban Camphor-Collectors Splitting up a Camphor Tree in Search of Crystals.

When all the omens have been auspicious, the camphor tree is felled and then, decked out in their finest war clothes, the
collectors examine with minutest care every crack and crevice in the trunk of the tree where the crystals might lurk. There is
no product of the jungle about which there is so much mystery as about camphor, and while searching for it the collectors are
hedged in at every turn by permantong or taboo, and most talk in a language used only during quests for the elusive crystals.

but it is very doubtful if there be any such remnant there. This curious custom prevails throughout Borneo, and in the Malay Peninsula also; possibly, it was introduced by the Malays to preclude all outside interference in the trading transactions between the natives and themselves.

"Among some tribes, when engaged in camphor collecting, the names of chiefs and influential men must never be mentioned; should any one violate this rule, the trees are always found camphorless.

"Wives dare not touch a comb while their husbands are away collecting this valuable gum; the fibres of the tree will duly reveal abundant spaces where camphor ought to be found; but if a comb has been touched at home, these spaces will prove empty and resemble the spaces between the teeth of a comb.

"Husbands are able to discover, by certain knots in the tree, when their wives are unfaithful; and in former days, many women are said to have been killed by jealous husbands on evidence no better than these knots.

"The leathery sheat of the leaf-stalk of the Penang palm is used as a plate for food, and it must not be washed during the whole time. of an expedition for camphor, for fear that the camphor will dissolve and disappear from the crevices of the tree.

No one is allowed to bathe except at daylight and at nightfall; no song is sung; no deer of any species should be eaten at these times; the collectors are, however, allowed to hunt for smaller game with the blow-pipe.

"The finest camphor is that which is found in large, transparent crystals, about three-quarters of an inch long; this often brings in the up-country bazaars as much as forty or fifty dollars a pound. The chief camphor workers are the Punans, who are either hired as guides and helpers by the Kayans, Kenyahs, Sibops, or Ibans, or else they collect the camphor themselves and barter it with the other natives, who in turn sell it to the Chinese.

"With almost every tribe the name for camphor-hunting is 'Paji.'

"The amout of camphor obtained from a single tree is greatly variable, yields from three to eleven pounds being reported. The collected material is carefully sorted, being separated into three qualities, the largest and purest crystals being regarded as the best, while the lowest is greyish and pulverulent."