Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-01-24
FIXING TIME OF SEASONS.
Some Strange Customs That Are
Observed by Far Eastern
People.

The inhabitants OF Borneo make use
OF the same means for fixing the times
OF their agricultural seasons as were
used by the early Britons and In
Egypt between 1000 and 1000 u. c.,
says the Journal OF the Asiatic socl-
ETY.. They rely. that Is TO say. on the
time OF rising Of certain consultations
just before the sun-known TO astron-
omers as their heliaoal rising. Many
ancient temples aye found to be ORR
ented to the point Of the horizon
which marks the heliacal rising Gf the
Pleiades on May morning.
The natives OF Borneo are using the
rising OF the same constellation as a
guide to the proper time to prepare
their ground to grow their food sup
ply. when the dry season il per-
ceived TO be approaching two men are
sent out into the jungle To observe.
There they watch. perhaps few
nights. perhaps a month. until the
Pleisdes are seen on the horizon just
before tine Increasing sunlight causes
the stars 90 fade. Then they return
TO the village ana announce ;he fact
The Inhabitants now know that work
on he forest must be commenced. II
by any means they have missed the
heliacal rising OF the Pleaides and have
delayed operations till Orion's belt is
seen rising just before the sun. they
know that they must work double
shift. The ground being cleared. they
then wait TIL the Pleiades are at the
zenith az sunrise before they set Ere
to the rubbish.
The atove Is the method adopted by
the Dyaks Oihe- seighboring tribes.
the Nenyabs and Kayans. make use
OF tfi7 iergth OF the shadow cast by
stick At noon 20 determine their sea-
sons. Situated as they are between
the tropics. the shadow Is east on the
north or south OF the stick according
10 The time OF year. The length Of the
shallow also varies as the sun passes
from Cancer TO Capricorn and back.
The shadow Is measured by means OF
notched stick The notches repre-
sent the lengths Of shadow which ex-
pcrience has shown to correspond
with favorable times for their various
agricultural operations.
The Samoans. ON the other hand. fix
their seasons by the appearance OF
curious r,arine worm. which they call
the palQlo. The vN-palolo. or time o.
the palo,o. Is the marie OF one Of their
seasons. as spring Is one OF ours. This
strange worm lives in the interstices
Of the coral reefs. and at certain sea-
Cons makes its appearance In the open
sea In immense numbers. II is eager
Is gathered and eaten by the natives.
II the swarm appears. say. at three
o'clock IA the morning II has totally
Disappeared by nine o'clock Both
male and female worms break mp into
lnnumerahle fragments. and the eggs
are fortified in the water The COM
ing of he palolo is regulated by the
moon. and yet. strange TO say. In tho
long run IL keeps solar time. II the
dates OF its appearances were separat-
cd by Il lunar months. then, reckon
ing by The day Of the month. It would
be II days earlier each year. On the
othe. hand. II Il came every IL months
II would he is days later each year.
This is rectided by having In every
cycle OF three years one interval OF
n and two Of l. months. Finally. by
the addition OF an extra interval of IL
months in n cycle Of 90 years the error
is less than one day In n century.