The Black Arts.
The objection of the country people in this district to the camera or the paint brush is often as strong as that of savages. At one village an artist put a young girl into his picture without her being aware of the liberty. When it was discovered, the painter was soon left to himself, one old woman rushing off with her apron over her head shouting "He shawnt take oi! He shawnt take oi!"
A Milano Tale (Sarawak).
(Communicated by Dr. A. C. Haddon.)
Many generations ago there lived in Sungei Rŭtus, which flows into the Igan river, a very powerful Milano chief named Tugau. He had no sons, but three daughters, or, as many accounts say, adopted daughters. One of these three he married to the son of Kĕdăhat, ruler of Oya, a man named Jĭluan, who lived with his wife in Tugau's house.
Thinking he would like a change of diet, Jĭluan one day borrowed Tugau's golden-headed spear, and went out into the jungle to hunt for pig. After searching for a long time, he at last caught sight of a beautiful, sleek, white-skinned pig, and crept near to get a good stab at it. The weapon wounded the animal, but not very severely, and it went tearing away with the golden spear blade sticking in its side, leaving the snapped shaft behind. Jĭluan followed the tracks for some time, but eventually got tired of it and returned to the house. When Tugau heard of the loss of his spear, he was very angry, and told Jĭluan to go out next day in search of it and not return until it was found; so, early on the next morning, Jĭluan's wife got up and cooked two days' provisions for her husband and sent him off on his quest. He went to the spot at which he had left the pig's traces on the previous day, and then climbed a tall tree to look round and see the lie of the land. While up there he heard the noise of people approaching, and, looking
