THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE EFATESE. 765 
VIII. HADES. 
A chief of Bau was making an intamate (heathen feast), and 
-searched for Vabuma Nakabw to be his aure (singer, or bard) at 
it. They told him that Nabuma Nakabu had gone to Tukituki, 
the west point of Efate, where is the entrance to Hades. He 
went to Tukituki and was told that Nabuma Nakabu had died, 
and been buried, and gone to Bokas. He went down to Bokas 
(the first stage of the under-world), and was told that Nabuma 
Nakabu had died, and been buried there, and gone to Magapopo 
(next lower stage of Hades). He went down to Magapopo, and 
was told that Nabuma Nakabu had died, and been buried there, 
and gone to Magaferafera. He went down to Magaferafera and 
was told that Nabuma Nakabu had died, and been buried there, 
and had gone to Maganaponapo. He went down to Maganapo- 
napo and was told that Nabuma Nakabu had died, and been 
buried there, and had gone to Matika (the lowest stage of the 
under-world). He went down to Matika and inquired for Nabuma 
Nakabu, and they said to him, ‘ Behold, there are his bones at 
the foot of a malas” (a dark-leaved plant). He went and gathered 
his bones into a basket, and, reascending into the world carried 
them to Bau to the Jalel (the napea, or dancing and singing 
ground of the amtamate). The drums were beaten, and as the 
(to Efatese ears) inspiriting, measured sounds thundered forth, 
the bones of Nabuma Nakabku, heaped together in the basket, 
burst forth into singing ! 
Acccording to the Efatese every man dies six times, each time 
passing down to a lower stage, till he reaches Matika, and finally 
disappears. 
IX, KARISIBUM AND MAKA TAFAKI. 
The people of the sky perceiving that the tide was out and the 
reef bare, as it is at low water, came down and took off their 
wings (literally “thin sails ’—zlatlaita), which were white, and 
proceeded to fish with torches along the shore. Sosoan (a bird 
whose song begins at dawn) began to sing (like one at ‘ cock- 
crow”), when they immediately came together, and, having laid 
down the fish they had taken, put on their wings. Then all 
joined in singing, and the wind rising blew them for a time back- 
wards and forwards, till ascending they went on up into the sky. 
This they often repeated. One night they came down and laid 
aside their wings, as usual, in order that they might fish along 
the shore. A man of the country, who had been watching them, 
saw where they had laid their wings, and when they were out of 
sight took the wings of one and hid them in a banana stem. In 
the morning, at the earliest dawn, they came together, laid down 
