[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

NEVINBUR, NELENG, AND NIMBE'EI 473
their ï¬Årst position. They, too, sing as they dance: “ Bamwas
mimg mimg.â€ù 1
Vhen these three pairs of men have ï¬Ånished their per-
formance, the man called namlml dances down the ground until
he is in front of the main body. As he goes he moves his arms in
imitation of the flapping wings of the mtmbal hawk. He then
dances before the nimbongan neleng, chanting the while: " Si
mas nzleng mbnl mleng sin’ nu leng mm mm." The meaning of
these words is not known and they are presumably in the same
language as is the song of the mravw. When the nambal has
ï¬Ånished dancing, the two neteskew advance, and follow the same
track through the nimbongon neleng and round the nerumbas
that the two bowmen followed. The meaning of their song also
is unknown ; the words run: “ Si mas ndarleng mbel mbez £1444
ririnu lm mbm/us."
From the left-hand side of the dancing ground the nimorot
kzvini nelmg now comes forward, draws his bow, and pretends
to shoot at the main body of dancers. As he pulls the bow-string
taut, the latter back away from him ; then he slackens it and
they advance once more. Thus they continue for some little
time, alternately advancing and retreating, while the nivnurot
kwini mleng sings his song: " Kwim' nesap man kevini nilemes
1/so lmg mar mur kwini mlmg mbal lmg mar mar.â€ù '
. When this movement is completed, the principal performer,
nézumbas, who all this while has been dancing in his position
“bohindllthe nimbongon mleng, begins to chant: " Tok, tok ndar
leflgizmflullmg mar ialiaLâ€ù “ 1—Ie moves forwards and threads
the‘bolurnns' of the main body, beginning at the right and passing
between. the ï¬Åfth and iourth, fourth and third, third and second,
second and ï¬Årst, down the left-hand side of the ï¬Årst, and then
turning retires to his original position. He now advances again and
begins to dance the round of all the positions, visiting each in turn
as it were, ï¬Årst those on the right side of the ground, then the
mnw/, and so across to the men on the left-hand side. He
ï¬Ånishes by threading the ï¬Årst four columns of the main body
and takes up his position to the left of the leader of the ï¬Årst
l Banalnls mea-us “afl0W", but in what language the informant could
not 53%. The meaning of mlang ndmg is not known.--A. B. D,
I he informant an not know the meaning oi this. Some isolated words
can be translated; kainlwl = “ shoot "; ma» s; " bird "; nilamei = " the
ghost!"; we is some bird, apparently tho frigate bird.
* lmg mar wlml = " the two wmds sing " ; (inlial = "he sings ").~—A. B. 1).