the golden bough-第11章

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pathetic　influence　exerted　on　each　other　by　persons　or　things　at　a　distance　is　of　the　essence　of　magic。　Whatever　doubts　science　may　entertain　as　to　the　possibility　of　action　at　a　distance；　magic　has　none；　faith　in　telepathy　is　one　of　its　first　principles。　A　modern　advocate　of　the　influence　of　mind　upon　mind　at　a　distance　would　have　no　difficulty　in　convincing　a　savage；　the　savage　believed　in　it　long　ago；　and　what　is　more；　he　acted　on　his　belief　with　a　logical　consistency　such　as　his　civilised　brother　in　the　faith　has　not　yet；　so　far　as　I　am　aware；　exhibited　in　his　conduct。　For　the　savage　is　convinced　not　only　that　magical　ceremonies　affect　persons　and　things　afar　off；　but　that　the　simplest　acts　of　daily　life　may　do　so　too。　Hence　on　important　occasions　the　behaviour　of　friends　and　relations　at　a　distance　is　often　regulated　by　a　more　or　less　elaborate　code　of　rules；　the　neglect　of　which　by　the　one　set　of　persons　would；　it　is　supposed；　entail　misfortune　or　even　death　on　the　absent　ones。　In　particular　when　a　party　of　men　are　out　hunting　or　fighting；　their　kinsfolk　at　home　are　often　expected　to　do　certain　things　or　to　abstain　from　doing　certain　others；　for　the　sake　of　ensuring　the　safety　and　success　of　the　distant　hunters　or　warriors。　I　will　now　give　some　instances　of　this　magical　telepathy　both　in　its　positive　and　in　its　negative　aspect。

In　Laos　when　an　elephant　hunter　is　starting　for　the　chase；　he　warns　his　wife　not　to　cut　her　hair　or　oil　her　body　in　his　absence；　for　if　she　cut　her　hair　the　elephant　would　burst　the　toils；　if　she　oiled　herself　it　would　slip　through　them。　When　a　Dyak　village　has　turned　out　to　hunt　wild　pigs　in　the　jungle；　the　people　who　stay　at　home　may　not　touch　oil　or　water　with　their　hands　during　the　absence　of　their　friends；　for　if　they　did　so；　the　hunters　would　all　be　butter…fingered　and　the　prey　would　slip　through　their　hands。

Elephant…hunters　in　East　Africa　believe　that；　if　their　wives　prove　unfaithful　in　their　absence；　this　gives　the　elephant　power　over　his　pursuer；　who　will　accordingly　be　killed　or　severely　wounded。　Hence　if　a　hunter　hears　of　his　wife's　misconduct；　he　abandons　the　chase　and　returns　home。　If　a　Wagogo　hunter　is　unsuccessful；　or　is　attacked　by　a　lion；　he　attributes　it　to　his　wife's　misbehaviour　at　home；　and　returns　to　her　in　great　wrath。　While　he　is　away　hunting；　she　may　not　let　any　one　pass　behind　her　or　stand　in　front　of　her　as　she　sits；　and　she　must　lie　on　her　face　in　bed。　The　Moxos　Indians　of　Bolivia　thought　that　if　a　hunter's　wife　was　unfaithful　to　him　in　his　absence　he　would　be　bitten　by　a　serpent　or　a　jaguar。　Accordingly；　if　such　an　accident　happened　to　him；　it　was　sure　to　entail　the　punishment；　and　often　the　death；　of　the　woman；　whether　she　was　innocent　or　guilty。　An　Aleutian　hunter　of　sea…otters　thinks　that　he　cannot　kill　a　single　animal　if　during　his　absence　from　home　his　wife　should　be　unfaithful　or　his　sister　unchaste。

The　Huichol　Indians　of　Mexico　treat　as　a　demi…god　a　species　of　cactus　which　throws　the　eater　into　a　state　of　ecstasy。　The　plant　does　not　grow　in　their　country；　and　has　to　be　fetched　every　year　by　men　who　make　a　journey　of　forty…three　days　for　the　purpose。　Meanwhile　the　wives　at　home　contribute　to　the　safety　of　their　absent　husbands　by　never　walking　fast；　much　less　running；　while　the　men　are　on　the　road。　They　also　do　their　best　to　ensure　the　benefits　which；　in　the　shape　of　rain；　good　crops；　and　so　forth；　are　expected　to　flow　from　the　sacred　mission。　With　this　intention　they　subject　themselves　to　severe　restrictions　like　those　imposed　upon　their　husbands。　During　the　whole　of　the　time　which　elapses　till　the　festival　of　the　cactus　is　held；　neither　party　washes　except　on　certain　occasions；　and　then　only　with　water　brought　from　the　distant　country　where　the　holy　plant　grows。　They　also　fast　much；　eat　no　salt；　and　are　bound　to　strict　continence。　Any　one　who　breaks　this　law　is　punished　with　illness；　and；　moreover；　jeopardises　the　result　which　all　are　striving　for。　Health；　luck；　and　life　are　to　be　gained　by　gathering　the　cactus；　the　gourd　of　the　God　of　Fire；　but　inasmuch　as　the　pure　fire　cannot　benefit　the　impure；　men　and　women　must　not　only　remain　chaste　for　the　time　being；　but　must　also　purge　themselves　from　the　taint　of　past　sin。　Hence　four　days　after　the　men　have　started　the　women　gather　and　confess　to　Grandfather　Fire　with　what　men　they　have　been　in　love　from　childhood　till　now。　They　may　not　omit　a　single　one；　for　if　they　did　so　the　men　would　not　find　a　single　cactus。　So　to　refresh　their　memories　each　one　prepares　a　string　with　as　many　knots　as　she　has　had　lovers。　This　she　brings　to　the　temple；　and；　standing　before　the　fire；　she　mentions　aloud　all　the　men　she　has　scored　on　her　string；　name　after　name。　Having　ended　her　confession；　she　throws　the　string　into　the　fire；　and　when　the　god　has　consumed　it　in　his　pure　flame；　her　sins　are　forgiven　her　and　she　departs　in　peace。　From　now　on　the　women　are　averse　even　to　letting　men　pass　near　them。　The　cactus…seekers　themselves　make　in　like　manner　a　clean　breast　of　all　their　frailties。　For　every　peccadillo　they　tie　a　knot　on　a　string；　and　after　they　have　talked　to　all　the　five　winds　they　deliver　the　rosary　of　their　sins　to　the　leader；　who　burns　it　in　the　fire。

Many　of　the　indigenous　tribes　of　Sarawak　are　firmly　persuaded　that　were　the　wives　to　commit　adultery　while　their　husbands　are　searching　for　camphor　in　the　jungle；　the　camphor　obtained　by　the　men　would　evaporate。　Husbands　can　discover；　by　certain　knots　in　the　tree；　when　the　wives　are　unfaithful；　and　it　is　said　that　in　former　days　many　women　were　killed　by　jealous　husbands　on　no　better　evidence　than　that　of　these　knots。　Further；　the　wives　dare　not　touch　a　comb　while　their　husbands　are　away　collecting　the　camphor；　for　if　they　did　so；　the　interstices　between　the　fibres　of　the　tree；　instead　of　being　filled　with　the　precious　crystals；　would　be　empty　like　the　spaces　between　the　teeth　of　a　comb。　In　the　Kei　Islands；　to　the　southwest　of　New　Guinea；　as　soon　as　a　vessel　that　is　about　to　sail　for　a　distant　port　has　been　launched；　the　part　of　the　beach　on　which　it　lay　is　covered　as　speedily　as　possible　with　palm　branches；　and　becomes　sacred。　No　one　may　thenceforth　cross　that　spot　till　the　ship　comes　home。　To　cross　it　sooner　would　cause　the　vessel　to　perish。　Moreover；　all　the　time　that　the　voyage　lasts　three　or　four　young　girls；　specially　chosen　for　the　duty；　are　supposed　to　remain　in　sympathetic　connexion　with　the　mariners　and　to　contribute　by　their　behaviour　to　the　safety　and　success　of　the　voyage。　On　no　account；　except　for　the　most　necessary　purpose；　may　they　quit　the　room　that　has　been　assigned　to　them。　More　than　that；　so　long　as　the　vessel　is　believed　to　be　at　sea　they　must　remain　absolutely　motionless；　crouched　on　their　mats　with　their　hands　clasped　between　their　knees。　They　may　not　turn　their　heads　to　the　left　or　to　the　right　or　make　any　other　movement　whatsoever。　If　they　did；　it　would　cause　the　boat　to　pitch　and　toss；　and　they　may　not　eat　any　sticky　stuff；　such　as　rice　boiled　in　coco…nut　milk；　for　the　stickiness　of　the　food　would　clog　the　passage　of　the　boat　through　the　water。　When　the　sailors　are　supposed　to　have　reached　their　destination；　the　strictness　of　these　rules　is　somewhat　relaxed；　but　during　the　whole　time　that　the　voyage　lasts　the　girls　are　forbidden　to　eat　fish　which　have　sharp　bones　or　stings；　such　as　the　sting…ray；　lest　their　friends　at　sea　should　be　involved　in　sharp；　stinging　trouble。

Where　beliefs　like　these　prevail　as　to　the　sympathetic　connexion　between　friends　at　a　distance；　we　need　not　wonder　that　above　everything　else　war；　with　its　stern　yet　stirring　appeal　to　some　of　the　deepest　and　tenderest　of　human　emotions；　should　quicken　in　the　anxious　relations　left　behind　a　desire　to　turn　the　sympathetic　bond　to　the　utmost　account　for　the　benefit　of　the　dear　ones　who　may　at　any　moment　be　fighting　and　dying　far　away。　Hence；　to　secure　an　end　so　natural　and　laudable；　friends　at　home　are　apt　to　resort　to　devices　which　will　strike　us　as　pathetic　or　ludicrous；　according　as　we　consider　their　object　or　the　means　adopted　to　effect　it。　Thus　in　some　districts　of　Borneo；　when　a　Dyak　is　out　head…hunting；　his　wife　or；　if　he　is　unmarried；　his　sister　must　wear　a　sword　day　and　nigh