[ 511 ] 



XXIX. 



OJs^ A PANDEAN PIPE FEOM TANNA ISLAND, NEW 

 HEBRIDES. By J. P. O'REILLY, Professor of Mining, 

 &c., Royal College of Science, Dublin, and FOTJRNIER ^ 



D'ALBE. 



[Read November 30, 1894.] 



The Pandean Pipe, which forms the subject of this Paper, was ^■'•"^ 



brought under my notice last year by Colonel Vigors, of the county^ •, , 



Carlow, who informed me that he procured it at Port Resolution^ / <^ 



Island of Tanna, New Hebrides, in August, 1850. It is therefore ' ' \ ■'i^"'X^ 



well-authenticated as to its origin, and is taken as representa- -v^^^-''' 



tive of the similar instruments in use in the island at the period 



mentioned. 



As this class of instrument is not one of universal use, and seems 

 at present to be confined to certain parts of Europe and the East ; as 

 moreover it is of extreme antiquity historically, its presence in the 

 New Hebrides presents a certain amount of ethnological interest, and 

 raises the question of whether it is to be considered as being of purely 

 native invention, or to be taken as coming by tradition from the race 

 which originally peopled the islands. In any case it implies a certain 

 capacity for art, and so far there is utility in recording its occurrence, 

 and in estimating its possible relations with other and more remote 

 Eastern countries by determining the tones or notes which the pipes of 

 the instrument represent. 



As the Pandean pipe is still in use in Europe, and especially in 

 the south of Erance and in the Pyrenees amongst the shepherds, that 

 is amongst a very primitive and ancient race of people, I thought that 

 some useful result might be attained by having the exact pitch of the 

 pipes determined, so as to allow of comparison with similar European 

 instruments, either ancient or modem. At my request this was under- 

 taken and carried out by Mr. Eournier d'Albe, then acting as assistant 

 in the physical laboratory of the Royal College of Science, and his 

 tabulated results present determinations so complete and precise as to 

 seem to me to be well worthy of being brought before the Academy 



K.I.A. PKOC, SEE. III., VOL. HI. 2 M 



