Indian Antiquary Vol 36

SR No.: 032528
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 385

367
DECEMBER, 1907.]
RECORD OF THE LANGUAGES OF SAVAGES.
I have another tally of beads on a string from Car Nicobar (kenrata-ngiji) which shows that 26 michama (400 x 26=10,400) of cocoanuts are due out of a sum and that 4 michama (1,600) have been paid. The original debt was therefore 30 michama, i,e., 12,000 cocoanuts, or as a Car Nicobarese would say, 6 kaiñe or dròngte lak heng kaine [half lak (and) one kaine].
Kenrata-ngiji.
APPENDIX B.
8.- - Reckoning of the Days of the Months.
Each "moon" is divided into phases and divisions in all the islands on the same system, except Car Nicobar, which has a differing one. There is for descriptive purposes a waxing and a waning moon; dividing the "moon" into halves. There are also a descriptive First Phase (Heang La, one piece): Full Moon (whole or swollen moon): Last Phase (Kaneäl, Boar's tusk). For reckoning, the month is divided into 30 days and four phases I (she), 1st to 10th (10 days); II (ydm), 11th to 20th (10 days); III (tatlanga) 21st to 25th (5 days); IV, 26th to 30th (5 days). In the fourth phase the days are not counted, but separately
named.
In Car Nicobar the following descriptive phases are recognised:-(a) First Phase (Kanel-haun, Boar's task), 2nd day: Second Phase (Tutlaal), 8th day (First Quarter): Third Phase (Chawi Chingeät ), 14th day (Full Moon): Fourth Phase (Dròngte Chingeät), 22nd day (Last Quarter); and (6) Waxing moon, 1st to 10th (10 days): whole moon, 11th to 16th (6 days) waning moon, 17th to 26th (10 days): disappearing moon, 27th to 30th (4 days): total, 30 days. In Car Nicobar also the full moon, and the day before and the two days after, are all recognised by separate terms. For reckoning, the month is divided into 30 days and 3 phases: waxing moon, 1st to 16th (16 days): waning moon, 17th to 26th (10 days): disappearing moon, 27th to 30th (4 days): total, 30 days.
In reckoning the month the Car Nicobarese reckon straight through the waxing moon from 1 to 16 and simply say "kahok chingeät, one moon..... tafual stan chingeät, sixteen moon." They then go straight through the waning moon from 1 to 10 and say "kahōk drônga chingeät, one waning moon," and so on. Lastly they run through the disappearing moon from 1 to 4, "kahok sainowa ohingeät, one disappearing moon," etc. If intercalary days then ensue, they are all called aiya áp-chingeal.
In the other islands the plan of counting the days is the same, but the method differs and is more complicated. They count 1 to 10 (she moon); thus "heang she kahe, one she moon.... shòm she kahe, ten she moon." Then 1 to 9 (yam, whole); thus "heang yam káhe, one yám moon... heang hata yam kdhe, nine yam moon." But the 20th is "heang