The following legend is from Mr. E. Beardmore's paper on "The Natives of Mowat, Daudai, New Guinea":— "Eguon, described as a large bat, is fabled to have introduced fire to Mowat. A legend goes that a tribe once inhabited Double Island, 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 Mowat, the others to different places in the Straits and New Guinea. There appears to have been some friendly arrangement amongst the snakes whereby some took to the land and others to the water." (Journal of the Anthropological Institute, vol. xix, 1890.)

The Rev. Dr. S. MacFarlane has the following MS. note from Erub :— "A man named Sarkak took it from between his forefinger and thumb."