166 A NATUBALIST IN CELEBES ch. vii 



reasons I am inclined to believe that those lands have for 

 several years, at least, been in a state of rest. 



The same afternoon we weighed anchor and retm-ned to 

 Lirung. 



Of the seven islands in the Nanusa Archipelago only 

 Karaton, Mengampit, and Ourata are inhabited ; and, as 

 it is said that there is no other anchorage in the archipelago, 

 Karaton is probably the only island that has ever been 

 visited by Europeans. 



Karaton is a flat island with a hill about 200 feet high 

 on the north side. 



Mengampit is a conical island, very probably an extinct 

 volcano, and its highest point is 800 feet above the sea- 

 level. Mengnupu is low and covered with forest. The 

 legendary story of Mengampit is as follows : — • 



In olden times there were two bees on the island 

 Mahampi,^ of which one was a male and the other a female. 

 The female bee conceived and brought forth a human female 

 child, who was called Ansalina. Not far off there was an 

 island called Pulu Pate, inhabited by a man named 

 Bidadarie, who fell in love with Ansalina, and eventually 

 became her husband. From the children of Ansalina and 

 Bidadarie all the people of Nanusa trace their descent. 



The principal deity of the Nanusa islanders is called 

 Alaoruru, and two minor gods are called Ada and Tewah. 

 The first seems to indicate a Mahomedan influence, and 

 the last two names so closely resemble the Judaic Adam 

 and Eve that we cannot help suspecting the influence of 

 the old Spanish Catholic priest. In a later chapter I shall 

 point out that similar names are found in the mythology 

 of the Alfurs of Minahassa. The people also believe in a 

 devil and witches. When a woman is discovered to be a 



° This legend was obtained for me by the Eesident of Manado. Mahampi 

 is another way of spelling Mengampit. 



