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

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THE GONGS 517
that was RESPONSIBLE for them. Some six to ten men lined up and
the pigs were brought on to the dancing ground. The ï¬Årst man
in the line shot an arrow at one of the animals and then passed
the bow to the man standing next to him ; he in turn shot an
arrow and passed the bow on to the third man. In this way the
bow was handed down the line until every man in it had shot
an arrow. It was not intended to kill the pig by these means ;
the shooting was, rather, ceremonial. When each pig had passed
through this ordeal it was killed—in what way we are not t0ld—
the death-blow being heralded by the blowing of couches, one,
two, or three being sounded according to the status of the animal.
The meat was then cut up and all those who had helped to drag
the gong received a portion of it. Presumably the dancers were
also recompensed for their labours, but of this and the terminating
of the ceremony there is no record. .