192 
KINA BALTJ : SECOND EXPEDITION. 
A writer in the ‘North Borneo Herald’for September 1892 seems rather inclined 
to lay down the law, and thinks his “the true derivation, which once known will we 
are sure put further discussion to an end. It is well known,” he says, “ that the name 
Kinabalu . . is spurious. The prefix Ki- was attached to the word Nabalo by the Brunei 
Malay.” His derivation is Mangalo, meaning the “ act of flight of the soul after death.” 
“ ‘ Na balo ’ or ‘ Pangaloan 5 are both titles of this mountain, meaning the place of the 
soul’s flight.” 
The third theory, also published in the ‘ Herald ’ (November 1892), is: “ The Chinaman, 
if not locally born, turns his r’s into l’s. ... I would simply suggest that Kina Balu is 
nothing but Kinabaharu, or New China {Kina— China, baliaru= new).” 
Mr. Frank Hatton mentions a part of this mountain as called “ Nabalu ” by the Dusuns. 
I am inclined to accept the second explanation of the derivation, viz., that “Ki” is a 
prefix (either Malay or Chinese) to the Dusun word Nabalo = “ the place of the soul’s 
flight.” The “ Kinabaharu ” theory has not enough antiquity about it, and little meaning, 
for surely this mountain must have had some name before the advent of the Chinese. 
“ Nabalo ” is a Dusun name for the mountain, and Kina Balu is undoubtedly looked upon 
by the Du suns as their last resting-place ; and therefore I think that this derivation is the 
most acceptable. 
