the golden bough-第211章

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ilarly；　when　the　Lules　or　Tonocotes　Indians　of　the　Gran　Chaco　were　attacked　by　an　epidemic；　they　regularly　sought　to　evade　it　by　flight；　but　in　so　doing　they　always　followed　a　sinuous；　not　a　straight；　course；　because　they　said　that　when　the　disease　made　after　them　he　would　be　so　exhausted　by　the　turnings　and　windings　of　the　route　that　he　would　never　be　able　to　come　up　with　them。　When　the　Indians　of　New　Mexico　were　decimated　by　smallpox　or　other　infectious　disease；　they　used　to　shift　their　quarters　every　day；　retreating　into　the　most　sequestered　parts　of　the　mountains　and　choosing　the　thorniest　thickets　they　could　find；　in　the　hope　that　the　smallpox　would　be　too　afraid　of　scratching　himself　on　the　thorns　to　follow　them。　When　some　Chins　on　a　visit　to　Rangoon　were　attacked　by　cholera；　they　went　about　with　drawn　swords　to　scare　away　the　demon；　and　they　spent　the　day　hiding　under　bushes　so　that　he　might　not　be　able　to　find　them。

3。　The　Periodic　Expulsion　ofEvils

THE　EXPULSION　of　evils；　from　being　occasional；　tends　to　become　periodic。　It　comes　to　be　thought　desirable　to　have　a　general　riddance　of　evil　spirits　at　fixed　times；　usually　once　a　year；　in　order　that　the　people　may　make　a　fresh　start　in　life；　freed　from　all　the　malignant　influences　which　have　been　long　accumulating　about　them。　Some　of　the　Australian　blacks　annually　expelled　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　from　their　territory。　The　ceremony　was　witnessed　by　the　Rev。　W。　Ridley　on　the　banks　of　the　River　Barwan。　A　chorus　of　twenty；　old　and　young；　were　singing　and　beating　time　with　boomerangs　。　Suddenly；　from　under　a　sheet　of　bark　darted　a　man　with　his　body　whitened　by　pipeclay；　his　head　and　face　coloured　with　lines　of　red　and　yellow；　and　a　tuft　of　feathers　fixed　by　means　of　a　stick　two　feet　above　the　crown　of　his　head。　He　stood　twenty　minutes　perfectly　still；　gazing　upwards。　An　aboriginal　who　stood　by　told　me　he　was　looking　for　the　ghosts　of　dead　men。　At　last　he　began　to　move　very　slowly；　and　soon　rushed　to　and　fro　at　full　speed；　flourishing　a　branch　as　if　to　drive　away　some　foes　invisible　to　us。　When　I　thought　this　pantomime　must　be　almost　over；　ten　more；　similarly　adorned；　suddenly　appeared　from　behind　the　trees；　and　the　whole　party　joined　in　a　brisk　conflict　with　their　mysterious　assailants。　　At　last；　after　some　rapid　evolutions　in　which　they　put　forth　all　their　strength；　they　rested　from　the　exciting　toil　which　they　had　kept　up　all　night　and　for　some　hours　after　sunrise；　they　seemed　satisfied　that　the　ghosts　were　driven　away　for　twelve　months。　They　were　performing　the　same　ceremony　at　every　station　along　the　river；　and　I　am　told　it　is　an　annual　custom。

Certain　seasons　of　the　year　mark　themselves　naturally　out　as　appropriate　moments　for　a　general　expulsion　of　devils。　Such　a　moment　occurs　towards　the　close　of　an　Arctic　winter；　when　the　sun　reappears　on　the　horizon　after　an　absence　of　weeks　or　months。　Accordingly；　at　Point　Barrow；　the　most　northerly　extremity　of　Alaska；　and　nearly　of　America；　the　Esquimaux　choose　the　moment　of　the　sun's　reappearance　to　hunt　the　mischievous　spirit　Tu？a　from　every　house。　The　ceremony　was　witnessed　by　the　members　of　the　United　States　Polar　Expedition；　who　wintered　at　Point　Barrow。　A　fire　was　built　in　front　of　the　council…house；　and　an　old　woman　was　posted　at　the　entrance　to　every　house。　The　men　gathered　round　the　council…house　while　the　young　women　and　girls　drove　the　spirit　out　of　every　house　with　their　knives；　stabbing　viciously　under　the　bunk　and　deer…skins；　and　calling　upon　Tu？a　to　be　gone。　When　they　thought　he　had　been　driven　out　of　every　hole　and　corner；　they　thrust　him　down　through　the　hole　in　the　floor　and　chased　him　into　the　open　air　with　loud　cries　and　frantic　gestures。　Meanwhile　the　old　woman　at　the　entrance　of　the　house　made　passes　with　a　long　knife　in　the　air　to　keep　him　from　returning。　Each　party　drove　the　spirit　towards　the　fire　and　invited　him　to　go　into　it。　All　were　by　this　time　drawn　up　in　a　semicircle　round　the　fire；　when　several　of　the　leading　men　made　specific　charges　against　the　spirit；　and　each　after　his　speech　brushed　his　clothes　violently；　calling　on　the　spirit　to　leave　him　and　go　into　the　fire。　Two　men　now　stepped　forward　with　rifles　loaded　with　blank　cartridges；　while　a　third　brought　a　vessel　of　urine　and　flung　it　on　the　flames。　At　the　same　time　one　of　the　men　fired　a　shot　into　the　fire；　and　as　the　cloud　of　steam　rose　it　received　the　other　shot；　which　was　supposed　to　finish　Tun？a　for　the　time　being。

In　late　autumn；　when　storms　rage　over　the　land　and　break　the　icy　fetters　by　which　the　frozen　sea　is　as　yet　but　slightly　bound；　when　the　loosened　floes　are　driven　against　each　other　and　break　with　loud　crashes；　and　when　the　cakes　of　ice　are　piled　in　wild　disorder　one　upon　another；　the　Esquimaux　of　Baffin　Land　fancy　they　hear　the　voices　of　the　spirits　who　people　the　mischief…laden　air。　Then　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　knock　wildly　at　the　huts；　which　they　cannot　enter；　and　woe　to　the　hapless　wight　whom　they　catch；　he　soon　sickens　and　dies。　Then　the　phantom　of　a　huge　hairless　dog　pursues　the　real　dogs；　which　expire　in　convulsions　and　cramps　at　sight　of　him。　All　the　countless　spirits　of　evil　are　abroad　striving　to　bring　sickness　and　death；　foul　weather　and　failure　in　hunting　on　the　Esquimaux。　Most　dreaded　of　all　these　spectral　visitants　are　Sedna；　mistress　of　the　nether　world；　and　her　father；　to　whose　share　dead　Esquimaux　fall。　While　the　other　spirits　fill　the　air　and　the　water；　she　rises　from　under　ground。　It　is　then　a　busy　season　for　the　wizards。　In　every　house　you　may　hear　them　singing　and　praying；　while　they　conjure　the　spirits；　seated　in　a　mystic　gloom　at　the　back　of　the　hut；　which　is　dimly　lit　by　a　lamp　burning　low。　The　hardest　task　of　all　is　to　drive　away　Sedna；　and　this　is　reserved　for　the　most　powerful　enchanter。　A　rope　is　coiled　on　the　floor　of　a　large　hut　in　such　a　way　as　to　leave　a　small　opening　at　the　top；　which　represents　the　breathing　hole　of　a　seal。　Two　enchanters　stand　beside　it；　one　of　them　grasping　a　spear　as　if　he　were　watching　a　seal…hole　in　winter；　the　other　holding　the　harpoon…line。　A　third　sorcerer　sits　at　the　back　of　the　hut　chanting　a　magic　song　to　lure　Sedna　to　the　spot。　Now　she　is　heard　approaching　under　the　floor　of　the　hut；　breathing　heavily；　now　she　emerges　at　the　hole；　now　she　is　harpooned　and　sinks　away　in　angry　haste；　dragging　the　harpoon　with　her；　while　the　two　men　hold　on　to　the　line　with　all　their　might。　The　struggle　is　severe；　but　at　last　by　a　desperate　wrench　she　tears　herself　away　and　returns　to　her　dwelling　in　Adlivun。　When　the　harpoon　is　drawn　up　out　of　the　hole　it　is　found　to　be　splashed　with　blood；　which　the　enchanters　proudly　exhibit　as　a　proof　of　their　prowess。　Thus　Sedna　and　the　other　evil　spirits　are　at　last　driven　away；　and　next　day　a　great　festival　is　celebrated　by　old　and　young　in　honour　of　the　event。　But　they　must　still　be　cautious；　for　the　wounded　Sedna　is　furious　and　will　seize　any　one　she　may　find　outside　of　his　hut；　so　they　all　wear　amulets　on　the　top　of　their　hoods　to　protect　themselves　against　her。　These　amulets　consist　of　pieces　of　the　first　garments　that　they　wore　after　birth。

The　Iroquois　inaugurated　the　new　year　in　January；　February；　or　March　（the　time　varied）　with　a　festival　of　dreams　like　that　which　the　Hurons　observed　on　special　occasions。　The　whole　ceremonies　lasted　several　days；　or　even　weeks；　and　formed　a　kind　of　saturnalia。　Men　and　women；　variously　disguised；　went　from　wigwam　to　wigwam　smashing　and　throwing　down　whatever　they　came　across。　It　was　a　time　of　general　license；　the　people　were　supposed　to　be　out　of　their　senses；　and　therefore　not　to　be　responsible　for　what　they　did。　Accordingly；　many　seized　the　opportunity　of　paying　off　old　scores　by　belabouring　obnoxious　persons；　drenching　them　with　ice…cold　water；　and　covering　them　with　filth　or　hot　ashes。　Others　seized　burning　brands　or　coals　and　flung　them　at　the　heads　of　the　first　persons　they　met。　The　only　way　of　escaping　from　these　persecutors　was　to　guess　what　they　had　dreamed　of。　On　one　day　of　the　festival　the　ceremony　of　driving　away　evil　spirits　from　the　village　took　place。　Men　clothed　in　the　skins　of　wild　beasts；　their　faces　covered　with　hideous　masks；　and　their　hands　with　the　shell　of　the　tortoise；　went　from　hut