NOTES ON THE TANNESE. 653 



producing influence in nature. But there are special stones 

 for doing- j^articular things. Nauveti iiuh for making yam ; 

 and special kinds of yams have tlieir own stones. So with 

 wind, rain, sunshine, fish, turtle, and all kinds of natural 

 produce. The ceremonies connected with these probably 

 vary ; what they are we know very little. Space will not 

 permit us giving an instance of which we learned something 

 of their use. 



(4.) Naiwet/ Naruk is the prince of "lumps," for it con- 

 tains the power of life and death. Recently a set of Niiruk 

 stones were dug uj) by a trader here, and given to me. The 

 large stone is called the body of the Nfiruk. It resembles a 

 man sitting with his head drooping over his chest, just as a 

 weary sick man would sit. Its length is 8 in,, and measures 

 about 1 1 in. in circumference. It weighs 4 lbs. It is a black 

 recent-volcanic stone of irregular structure. Some parts 

 being dense, others almost scoriaceous, and embracing little 

 black nodules of denser grain. The little stones are called 

 the children of the big stone. 4 is a black stone of fairly 

 close texture, 2in. long, l^in. high, and 1 in. wide, and 

 sufficiently like a person's foot to be spoken of as tlte foot. 

 5 and b' are almost alike, 2 in, long, nearly 3 in, in circum- 

 ference, and are recognised as representing membei's of the 

 human body, 7 is a hard black stone, 1| in, long, thicker at 

 one end than the other, and is thought to represent the 

 knee end of the humati femur. The four little stones are 

 minor Nuruks, capable of producing continued indisposition, 

 but not death. So much for the Nauveti Nilruk ; now for 

 their use and power. 



I must say here that those stones are all the habitats of 

 spirits (I speak now after the manner of Tannese), and they 

 are in the possession of certain persons who are termed 

 yolmiruh, a nuruker. But he has no power over any one 

 until some thing that has touched or come from the body of 

 that person is brought to him. For this purpose the part of 

 a man's food, his belt or garment, can be used. In fact a 

 stick he has had in his hand, a stone on which he has sat 

 may be scraped, and the scrapings taken to burn as INCiruk, 

 An unused part of a stick of tobacco is a common thing to 

 take. This is called takin<j the foot of a person. 



Once taken there are regular Nfiruk carriers, who, while 

 they are carrying the foot, will never cross fresh water. 

 That would render the foot useless. Hence, if a thing can 

 be washed, it is proof against Nunlk, The first JNiiruk 



