Page:String Figures and How to Make Them.djvu/366

Rh The "fire" is supposed to lie between the thumb and index of the left hand. If a native were doing the figure, he would tell you to blow out the fire, and when you did so, bringing your head near his left hand, he would bring the thumb and index of each hand together quickly; the fire would

surely be out, but your nose would be in—between his left thumb and index. In this figure we have a new opening and a new method of extension. The finished pattern closely resembles the pattern of the "Osage Two Diamonds"; there are slight differences, however, in the crossing of the strings.

In the fifth volume of the Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, page 17, Dr. Haddon gives a legend which is of interest in connection with this game.

"Eguon, described as a large bat, is fabled to have introduced fire to Mawata. A legend goes that a tribe once inhabited Nalgi (Double Island), Fro. 739. one of whose members showed fire to come from the left hand, between the thumb and forefinger, whereupon dissension arose and the people were all transformed into animals, birds, reptiles, fish

(including dugong and turtle). Eguon found his way to Mawata, the others to different places in the Straits and New Guinea. There appears to have been some friendly arrangement among the snakes whereby some took to the