Charles Hose an Ernst Haeckel, Baram, 14. März 1896
Baram
Sarawak
March 14st 1896
My dear Sir
The books you kindly sent me have arrived and I am very much obliged to you for them.
It is very considerate of you to make me this handsome present which I value exceedingly.
I have just read the two vols of the creation and am struck with one or two points of simelarily between what is laid down in your work and that which ist the general || idea amongst the kayans of my district as to the creation of the world.
If it would not trouble you I should like to write the Kayan idea of the history of the creation for you to see. There first animal life was worms and vegetable mots caused by the rains on a rock which fell from the heavens, the worms made early etc. Human being came afterwards in a most peculiar manner and the sexes copulated only when warmth was produced by friction, the idea was first found out by watching by one bough rubbing on another beeing moved by the wind, it is a long || story which has often been told one, but although it is feable is nevertheless interesting to show that the native mind is a thinking mind. The Kayan says in the first stages, all life was without legs, that as the world became full of obstacles which prevented movement legs were required and to developed. One point that Kayans are very strong upon is that this world is far work from any hell or place where the dead go, as no one ever comes back again to this earth after death. || A father dearly loves his child in this world, but when this father dies he never once comes to look at that child again, they say. Therefore he must be in a much better place than this world. Professor Kukenthal and I went up my river and I think he enjoyed finding out about nature customs.
Please remember me kindly to him and tell him I am ill with beriberi and am not able to move hardly at all, but his brain etc. are all ready exept for the packing up.
Yours sincerely
Charles Hose
To Prof. Haeckel
Jena