348 A NATURALIST IN CELEBES ch. xiv 



tain gorges, to swallow him up as a bird swallows the fish ; 

 but, if the witness tells the truth, let him be rewarded with a 

 long life and a profusion of blessings. I call upon you also, 

 wailan Muntuuntu, the chief of all the gods who dwell in 

 the heavens above and the depths of the earth below, to con- 

 sider both the greatest and the smallest of those who stand 

 before you, to look upon the gun and the swords when the 

 witness is stepping over them, to look also upon the white 

 linen that is laid before the witness. 



' I invoke you also, Manembo and Mamoto, worst of all 

 the gods, that if the witness lies Mamoto may repress 

 him, that the wailan Eumaha may drink his blood, and all 

 the wailans who dwell on yellow grounds may deliver him 

 to be swallowed up by the wailans Makatepehminahak, 

 Makauweuran, Makapitiktampel, who long to swallow up 

 bad people. And the wailan, charged with the duty of 

 cutting short a man's life, may he also cut short the life 

 of the false witness. 



' I who invoke you now, I am the drawer of the sword 

 that will not hurt me ; ' my ancestors were also the drawers 

 (of the sword) before perjurers. My forefathers Eumambi 

 Sinangsang and Eumambi Ungkenawan in olden times 

 witnessed the oaths of men on the left side and on the right 

 side ; my forefather Kaenton, who liked to make a hubbub, 

 and who shook the earth, my forefathers Makiohlor . . .' (here 

 follows a list of thirteen ancestors), 'they were all drawers 

 of the sword, as were also my forefathers Matindas . . .' 

 (here follows another list of twenty-four ancestors). 



' I invoke also the wailans Langkai and Tauliwatu, who 

 were dressed in red cloth, and the wailan Walansendouw, 

 the brother of Pikpik and Pujuh, both standing on the 

 mountain ranges holding each other's hands, looking for 



' This is probably an Alfur expression for the priest whose business it is 

 to attend the swearing in of witnesses. 



