4 
MEMOIES OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
denied her the request, and informed her that he could never marry a mortal. 
This is indirectly opposed to the Kiwai version of Sida,* when Sida married' 
Sagaru. He wandered to and fro from place to place, allowing her to accompany 
him until full moon came, when he took a certain seed from his dilly-bag and 
planted it in the ground. Assisted by certain incantations and weird noises lie- 
caused the seeds to germinate. The seed grew into a large tree, Soiido seating 
himself with the woman on different branches, and as the tree grew higher and 
higher they were carried up to the moon, where Soiido left her; but the woman’s 
face is still visible in the moon until this day, going away on the wings of a cloud. 
LEGEND OF THE DOIOM (ERUB). 
Professor Haddon has made lengthy references to the small “ weather- 
gods” of Torres Strait known by the local name of “ Doiom” (Doyom),f 
but one or two additional details in connection with a specimen recently acquired 
by us are worth recording. About three months previous to the North-West 
Season, when universal drought prevails, the rain-maker (or rain-man) envelopes 
the “ Doyom ” in so-called “ bush medicine ” consisting of herbs, etc., and 
lowers the weather-god by means of an attached string into a hole specially 
prepared to receive it. The cord is left only partially visible after the hole has 
been filled up. After the “ Doyom” has been allowed to remain for at least 
three days and three nights undisturbed in the ground, the rain-maker visits 
the spot fully dressed in ceremonial finery, and approaching from the weather 
side indulges in incantations until, by the rehearsal of magic ritual only under- 
stood by themselves, the weather-god is pulled out by the cord. It has been a 
belief amongst them that the fumes given off by the fermented herbs reach the 
“ medicine man ” and affects the testes, which swell in consequence. Rain follows 
next day after severe winds. 
STORY OF BAEXIS (ERUB). 
I am also indebted to Mr. Guilletmot, whose kind assistance in many ways 
I desire to gratefully acknowledge, for the following information: — There is a 
belief in 4 4 Erub” that, there is in existence a so-called “ dog” as large as a 
cow, which appears either on or before the death of men of importance (only) — ■ 
“ Big men” — called ct Awle.” The natives who have seen it say that it is 
black and white and abides at Stephens Island (“ Oogar”). Additional colour 
has been lent to the belief by some natives, who are still living, declaring that 
it was repeatedly seen by them at Darnley during the epidemics of dysentery 
prevalent in 1912, when it caused great consternation amongst the inhabitants. 
The so-called “ dog” is supposed to land on the north-west side of Darnley,. 
* A. C. Haddon in Folktales, Anthropological Expedition to Torres Strait, vol. v, 
1904, p. 35. 
t A. 0. Haddon, Anthro. Exped. Torres Strait, vol. vi., 1908, p. 194, etc. 
