54 GEORGE D-S-DUNBAR ON 



Necklaces of what is probably cinnamon wood L are hung round the necks of persons, 

 especially children, suffering from fever. Acquaintance with the rather more exten- 

 sive pharmacopia of the West has rapidly spread the superior properties of quinine. 

 If an epidemic becomes exceedingly severe rubber trees may be cut down to drive away 

 the angry spirit ; if that fails the village is moved to another site. In spite of the 

 blame that, as a matter of course, is cast upon the unseen world, I have heard an epi- 

 demic on more than one occasion attributed to the badness of the water in the vicinity. 

 In the Kamla valley I received personal experience of the method used to remove a 

 headache. The mother of the leading Gam in the valley assured me, with perfect 

 truth, that she could take away very severe pains in the head by massage with the tips 

 of the fingers. This up-to-date treatment proved as successful as it was unexpected. 

 Careful enquiry was made with the object of discovering any trace of totemism, 



past and present , amongst the clans , either in their origin , 



Totemism and Taboo. r . 



through their names, or in their manners and customs. 

 Clan names and names of individuals gave no results. The origin of the name Pasi, 

 which is traced in the discussion of migrations, is not helpful. The Loma-mani-trun 

 shar otherwise known as Mimats, whose former name Captain Hore informed me, means 

 neckless savage, and the eponymic Rolero and Memong, Kuri and Kunming, called 

 after the founders of the stock, who were brothers, are the only names that appear to 

 have a deliberate meaning. a This, so far as it goes, is interesting negative evidence, 

 for Tylor 3 notes that the Mongoloid tribes north of the Himalayas in their 

 native low-cultured state, such as the Yakuts, are divided into inter-marrying totem 

 clans such as Swan, Raven and the like. Inter-marriage in the same group is for- 

 bidden amongst Abors and Galongs. Before the girls are married off sexual inter- 

 course with the young men of the village is however permitted ; the appearance of 

 any children is, at the same time, strongly deprecated. Nor do the names of indivi- 

 duals give any better result. Children are named by their fathers or mothers and the 

 names, almost invariably, are meaningless. It cannot possibly be cited as determining 

 an invariable practice, but in two pedigrees that were examined, one of three genera- 

 tions and one of six, father to son, the first syllable of the name remained constant, 

 Dutem of Ledum being descended from Dudi through Duyur, Dusi, Dugan, Dugong. 

 Taboo clearly exists, although I am not prepared to venture an opinion as to whe- 

 ther this is a last surviving trace of the totemic religion possibly believed by the 

 race when a purely hunting people. The buffalo meat brought up from the plain is 

 taboo to women, certain things are taboo during pregnancy, and when the Mini has 

 cured a case of serious illness the patient is forbidden to eat the flesh of any wild 

 animal killed in hunting or the flesh of the creature sacrificed to cure him, plantains 

 or wild potatoes for one year. He may however eat fish. For this custom no satis- 

 factory reason has been given, as it by no means follows that Nipong of the Abors, 



1 Called sili by the Minyong Abors. 



2 One or two sept names happen to coincide with nouns, but Captain Lane, who has made independent enquiry, 

 concurs in the conclusion that this is fortuitous, giving as examples " ruksack " and " otter." 



3 Primitive Culture, Vol. II, p. 236. 



