SHORT NOTES, 



The *'Malingkote'' in Borneo in June, 1891. 



The *' Malingkote " appears to have taken rise from the 

 Sipulote country, the founder being a man named Tahang who 

 dreamed during a severe illness that if certain ceremonies were 

 gone through an angel would appear and if anything was asked 

 for by the angel it must be given at once. If everything asked 

 for was given then the parties would be empowered to see angels 

 ("malikot") and would become invulnerable ("cabal"). They 

 would also receive the power of raising the dead and would be 

 given wings wherewith to fly to the sky. 



Those who believed themselves to have been thus empowered, 

 viz. : Tahang's people, went about the country spreading the 

 belief and frightening the other villag-es into giving up property, 

 &c., to them, stating that if they did not join in "malingkote" 

 they would all be killed by thunder-bolts and their houses 

 destroyed by a hurricane. During the "Malingkote" all fowls, 

 cattle, pigs, and even dogs, &c., have to be destroyed. The people 

 drink all day, and plant no padi, the idea being that when their 

 wings have grown they will fly to the sky and live on the padi 

 there. 



One seed of padi planted there grows in ten days, has a never 

 failing crop, and as soon as plucked has a fresh supply next day. 

 The people did not stop at giving away their property, one man 

 even gave away his wife, on condition that his wings should grow 

 in seven days. 



It is reported also that one man climbed up into a cocoanut- 

 palm to fly, apparently under the impression that his wings would 

 develope before he reached the ground. They did not do so, and 

 his leg was broken by the fall. 



H. WISE. 



