Headhunters Of Borneo

In 1879, Carl Bock was commissioned by his Excellency Van lansberge, the Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies to travel through and report on the interior of South-East Borneo. In 1881, he published his somewhat sensational account of his observations on the route from Tangaroeng to Bandjermasin, a distance of over 700 miles. The Headhunters of Borneo is the English translation of his account and captures the spirit of one man who dared to explore the recesses of the mysterious island of Borneo. It includes descriptions of cannibalism among the dayaks as well as his prolonged efforts to locate a tribe of men with tails, of whom he had heard. The 30 colour plates in this book depict native artefacts, accommodation and clothing and have probably also contributed and fueled the popular image of Borneo as a place inhabited by wild headhunters and bare-breasted women.