the golden bough-第228章

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by　the　primitive　philosopher　as　a　physical　substance　or　fluid；　with　which　the　sacred　man　is　charged　just　as　a　Leyden　jar　is　charged　with　electricity；　and　exactly　as　the　electricity　in　the　jar　can　be　discharged　by　contact　with　a　good　conductor；　so　the　holiness　or　magical　virtue　in　the　man　can　be　discharged　and　drained　away　by　contact　with　the　earth；　which　on　this　theory　serves　as　an　excellent　conductor　for　the　magical　fluid。　Hence　in　order　to　preserve　the　charge　from　running　to　waste；　the　sacred　or　tabooed　personage　must　be　carefully　prevented　from　touching　the　ground；　in　electrical　language　he　must　be　insulated；　if　he　is　not　to　be　emptied　of　the　precious　substance　or　fluid　with　which　he；　as　a　vial；　is　filled　to　the　brim。　And　in　many　cases　apparently　the　insulation　of　the　tabooed　person　is　recommended　as　a　precaution　not　merely　for　his　own　sake　but　for　the　sake　of　others；　for　since　the　virtue　of　holiness　or　taboo　is；　so　to　say；　a　powerful　explosive　which　the　smallest　touch　may　detonate；　it　is　necessary　in　the　interest　of　the　general　safety　to　keep　it　within　narrow　bounds；　lest　breaking　out　it　should　blast；　blight；　and　destroy　whatever　it　comes　into　contact　with。

2。　Not　to　see　the　Sun

THE　SECOND　rule　to　be　here　noted　is　that　the　sun　may　not　shine　upon　the　divine　person。　This　rule　was　observed　both　by　the　Mikado　and　by　the　pontiff　of　the　Zapotecs。　The　latter　was　looked　upon　as　a　god　whom　the　earth　was　not　worthy　to　hold；　nor　the　sun　to　shine　upon。　The　Japanese　would　not　allow　that　the　Mikado　should　expose　his　sacred　person　to　the　open　air；　and　the　sun　was　not　thought　worthy　to　shine　on　his　head。　The　Indians　of　Granada；　in　South　America；　kept　those　who　were　to　be　rulers　or　commanders；　whether　men　or　women；　locked　up　for　several　years　when　they　were　children；　some　of　them　seven　years；　and　this　so　close　that　they　were　not　to　see　the　sun；　for　if　they　should　happen　to　see　it　they　forfeited　their　lordship；　eating　certain　sorts　of　food　appointed；　and　those　who　were　their　keepers　at　certain　times　went　into　their　retreat　or　prison　and　scourged　them　severely。　Thus；　for　example；　the　heir　to　the　throne　of　Bogota；　who　was　not　the　son　but　the　sister's　son　of　the　king；　had　to　undergo　a　rigorous　training　from　his　infancy；　he　lived　in　complete　retirement　in　a　temple；　where　he　might　not　see　the　sun　nor　eat　salt　nor　converse　with　a　woman；　he　was　surrounded　by　guards　who　observed　his　conduct　and　noted　all　his　actions；　if　he　broke　a　single　one　of　the　rules　laid　down　for　him；　he　was　deemed　infamous　and　forfeited　all　his　rights　to　the　throne。　So；　too；　the　heir　to　the　kingdom　of　Sogamoso；　before　succeeding　to　the　crown；　had　to　fast　for　seven　years　in　the　temple；　being　shut　up　in　the　dark　and　not　allowed　to　see　the　sun　or　light。　The　prince　who　was　to　become　Inca　of　Peru　had　to　fast　for　a　month　without　seeing　light。

3。　The　Seclusion　of　Girls　at　Puberty

NOW　it　is　remarkable　that　the　foregoing　two　rulesnot　to　touch　the　ground　and　not　to　see　the　sunare　observed　either　separately　or　conjointly　by　girls　at　puberty　in　many　parts　of　the　world。　Thus　amongst　the　negroes　of　Loango　girls　at　puberty　are　confined　in　separate　huts；　and　they　may　not　touch　the　ground　with　any　part　of　their　bare　body。　Among　the　Zulus　and　kindred　tribes　of　South　Africa；　when　the　first　signs　of　puberty　show　themselves　while　a　girl　is　walking；　gathering　wood；　or　working　in　the　field；　she　runs　to　the　river　and　hides　herself　among　the　reeds　for　the　day；　so　as　not　to　be　seen　by　men。　She　covers　her　head　carefully　with　her　blanket　that　the　sun　may　not　shine　on　it　and　shrivel　her　up　into　a　withered　skeleton；　as　would　result　from　exposure　to　the　sun's　beams。　After　dark　she　returns　to　her　home　and　is　secluded　in　a　hut　for　some　time。　With　the　Awa…nkonde；　a　tribe　at　the　northern　end　of　Lake　Nyassa；　it　is　a　rule　that　after　her　first　menstruation　a　girl　must　be　kept　apart；　with　a　few　companions　of　her　own　sex；　in　a　darkened　house。　The　floor　is　covered　with　dry　banana　leaves；　but　no　fire　may　be　lit　in　the　house；　which　is　called　the　house　of　the　Awasungu；　that　is；　of　maidens　who　have　no　hearts。

In　New　Ireland　girls　are　confined　for　four　or　five　years　in　small　cages；　being　kept　in　the　dark　and　not　allowed　to　set　foot　on　the　ground。　The　custom　has　been　thus　described　by　an　eye…witness。　I　heard　from　a　teacher　about　some　strange　custom　connected　with　some　of　the　young　girls　here；　so　I　asked　the　chief　to　take　me　to　the　house　where　they　were。　The　house　was　about　twenty…five　feet　in　length；　and　stood　in　a　reed　and　bamboo　enclosure；　across　the　entrance　to　which　a　bundle　of　dried　grass　was　suspended　to　show　that　it　was　strictly　'tabu。'　Inside　the　house　were　three　conical　structures　about　seven　or　eight　feet　in　height；　and　about　ten　or　twelve　feet　in　circumference　at　the　bottom；　and　for　about　four　feet　from　the　ground；　at　which　point　they　tapered　off　to　a　point　at　the　top。　These　cages　were　made　of　the　broad　leaves　of　the　pandanus…tree；　sewn　quite　close　together　so　that　no　light　and　little　or　no　air　could　enter。　On　one　side　of　each　is　an　opening　which　is　closed　by　a　double　door　of　plaited　cocoa…nut　tree　and　pandanus…tree　leaves。　About　three　feet　from　the　ground　there　is　a　stage　of　bamboos　which　forms　the　floor。　In　each　of　these　cages　we　were　told　there　was　a　young　woman　confined；　each　of　whom　had　to　remain　for　at　least　four　or　five　years；　without　ever　being　allowed　to　go　outside　the　house。　I　could　scarcely　credit　the　story　when　I　heard　it；　the　whole　thing　seemed　too　horrible　to　be　true。　I　spoke　to　the　chief；　and　told　him　that　I　wished　to　see　the　inside　of　the　cages；　and　also　to　see　the　girls　that　I　might　make　them　a　present　of　a　few　beads。　He　told　me　that　it　was　'tabu；'　forbidden　for　any　men　but　their　own　relations　to　look　at　them；　but　I　suppose　the　promised　beads　acted　as　an　inducement；　and　so　he　sent　away　for　some　old　lady　who　had　charge；　and　who　alone　is　allowed　to　open　the　doors。　While　we　were　waiting　we　could　hear　the　girls　talking　to　the　chief　in　a　querulous　way　as　if　objecting　to　something　or　expressing　their　fears。　The　old　woman　came　at　length　and　certainly　she　did　not　seem　a　very　pleasant　jailor　or　guardian；　nor　did　she　seem　to　favour　the　request　of　the　chief　to　allow　us　to　see　the　girls；　as　she　regarded　us　with　anything　but　pleasant　looks。　However；　she　had　to　undo　the　door　when　the　chief　told　her　to　do　so；　and　then　the　girls　peeped　out　at　us；　and；　when　told　to　do　so；　they　held　out　their　hands　for　the　beads。　I；　however；　purposely　sat　at　some　distance　away　and　merely　held　out　the　beads　to　them；　as　I　wished　to　draw　them　quite　outside；　that　I　might　inspect　the　inside　of　the　cages。　This　desire　of　mine　gave　rise　to　another　difficulty；　as　these　girls　were　not　allowed　to　put　their　feet　to　the　ground　all　the　time　they　were　confined　in　these　places。　However；　they　wished　to　get　the　beads；　and　so　the　old　lady　had　to　go　outside　and　collect　a　lot　of　pieces　of　wood　and　bamboo；　which　she　placed　on　the　ground；　and　then　going　to　one　of　the　girls；　she　helped　her　down　and　held　her　hand　as　she　stepped　from　one　piece　of　wood　to　another　until　she　came　near　enough　to　get　the　beads　I　held　out　to　her。　I　then　went　to　inspect　the　inside　of　the　cage　out　of　which　she　had　come；　but　could　scarely　put　my　head　inside　of　it；　the　atmosphere　was　so　hot　and　stifling。　It　was　clean　and　contained　nothing　but　a　few　short　lengths　of　bamboo　for　holding　water。　There　was　only　room　for　the　girl　to　sit　or　lie　down　in　a　crouched　position　on　the　bamboo　platform；　and　when　the　doors　are　shut　it　must　be　nearly　or　quite　dark　inside。　The　girls　are　never　allowed　to　come　out　except　once　a　day　to　bathe　in　a　dish　or　wooden　bowl　placed　close　to　each　cage。　They　say　that　they　perspire　profusely。　They　are　placed　in　these　stifling　cages　when　quite　young；　and　must　remain　there　until　they　are　young　women；　when　they　are　taken　out　and　have　each　a　great　marriage　feast　provided　for　them。　One　of　them　was　about　fourteen　or　fifteen　years　old；　and　the　chief　told　us　that　she　had　been　there　for　five　years；　but　would　soon　be　taken　out　now。　The　other　two　were　about　eight　and　ten　years　old；　and　they　have　to　stay　there　for　several　years　longer。

In　Kabadi；　a　district　of　British　New　Guinea；　daughters　of　chiefs；　when　they　are　about　twelve　or　thirteen　years　of　age；　are　kept　indo