the golden bough-第78章

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frenzy　in　their　efforts　to　dispel　the　powers　of　evil。　Afterwards　they　purified　the　ambassadors　themselves　by　leading　them　through　the　flames。　In　the　island　of　Nanumea　（South　Pacific）　strangers　from　ships　or　from　other　islands　were　not　allowed　to　communicate　with　the　people　until　they　all；　or　a　few　as　representatives　of　the　rest；　had　been　taken　to　each　of　the　four　temples　in　the　island；　and　prayers　offered　that　the　god　would　avert　any　disease　or　treachery　which　these　strangers　might　have　brought　with　them。　Meat　offerings　were　also　laid　upon　the　altars；　accompanied　by　songs　and　dances　in　honour　of　the　god。　While　these　ceremonies　were　going　on；　all　the　people　except　the　priests　and　their　attendants　kept　out　of　sight。　Amongst　the　Ot　Danoms　of　Borneo　it　is　the　custom　that　strangers　entering　the　territory　should　pay　to　the　natives　a　certain　sum；　which　is　spent　in　the　sacrifice　of　buffaloes　or　pigs　to　the　spirits　of　the　land　and　water；　in　order　to　reconcile　them　to　the　presence　of　the　strangers；　and　to　induce　them　not　to　withdraw　their　favour　from　the　people　of　the　country；　but　to　bless　the　rice…harvest；　and　so　forth。　The　men　of　a　certain　district　in　Borneo；　fearing　to　look　upon　a　European　traveller　lest　he　should　make　them　ill；　warned　their　wives　and　children　not　to　go　near　him。　Those　who　could　not　restrain　their　curiosity　killed　fowls　to　appease　the　evil　spirits　and　smeared　themselves　with　the　blood。　More　dreaded；　says　a　traveller　in　Central　Borneo；　than　the　evil　spirits　of　the　neighbourhood　are　the　evil　spirits　from　a　distance　which　accompany　travellers。　When　a　company　from　the　middle　Mahakam　River　visited　me　among　the　Blu…u　Kayans　in　the　year　1897；　no　woman　showed　herself　outside　her　house　without　a　burning　bundle　of　plehiding　bark；　the　stinking　smoke　of　which　drives　away　evil　spirits。

When　Crevaux　was　travelling　in　South　America　he　entered　a　village　of　the　Apalai　Indians。　A　few　moments　after　his　arrival　some　of　the　Indians　brought　him　a　number　of　large　black　ants；　of　a　species　whose　bite　is　painful；　fastened　on　palm　leaves。　Then　all　the　people　of　the　village；　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex；　presented　themselves　to　him；　and　he　had　to　sting　them　all　with　the　ants　on　their　faces；　thighs；　and　other　parts　of　their　bodies。　Sometimes；　when　he　applied　the　ants　too　tenderly；　they　called　out　More！　more！　and　were　not　satisfied　till　their　skin　was　thickly　studded　with　tiny　swellings　like　what　might　have　been　produced　by　whipping　them　with　nettles。　The　object　of　this　ceremony　is　made　plain　by　the　custom　observed　in　Amboyna　and　Uliase　of　sprinkling　sick　people　with　pungent　spices；　such　as　ginger　and　cloves；　chewed　fine；　in　order　by　the　prickling　sensation　to　drive　away　the　demon　of　disease　which　may　be　clinging　to　their　persons。　In　Java　a　popular　cure　for　gout　or　rheumatism　is　to　rub　Spanish　pepper　into　the　nails　of　the　fingers　and　toes　of　the　sufferer；　the　pungency　of　the　pepper　is　supposed　to　be　too　much　for　the　gout　or　rheumatism；　who　accordingly　departs　in　haste。　So　on　the　Slave　Coast　the　mother　of　a　sick　child　sometimes　believes　that　an　evil　spirit　has　taken　possession　of　the　child's　body；　and　in　order　to　drive　him　out；　she　makes　small　cuts　in　the　body　of　the　little　sufferer　and　inserts　green　peppers　or　spices　in　the　wounds；　believing　that　she　will　thereby　hurt　the　evil　spirit　and　force　him　to　be　gone。　The　poor　child　naturally　screams　with　pain；　but　the　mother　hardens　her　heart　in　the　belief　that　the　demon　is　suffering　equally。

It　is　probable　that　the　same　dread　of　strangers；　rather　than　any　desire　to　do　them　honour；　is　the　motive　of　certain　ceremonies　which　are　sometimes　observed　at　their　reception；　but　of　which　the　intention　is　not　directly　stated。　In　the　Ongtong　Java　Islands；　which　are　inhabited　by　Polynesians；　the　priests　or　sorcerers　seem　to　wield　great　influence。　Their　main　business　is　to　summon　or　exorcise　spirits　for　the　purpose　of　averting　or　dispelling　sickness；　and　of　procuring　favourable　winds；　a　good　catch　of　fish；　and　so　on。　When　strangers　land　on　the　islands；　they　are　first　of　all　received　by　the　sorcerers；　sprinkled　with　water；　anointed　with　oil；　and　girt　with　dried　pandanus　leaves。　At　the　same　time　sand　and　water　are　freely　thrown　about　in　all　directions；　and　the　newcomer　and　his　boat　are　wiped　with　green　leaves。　After　this　ceremony　the　strangers　are　introduced　by　the　sorcerers　to　the　chief。　In　Afghanistan　and　in　some　parts　of　Persia　the　traveller；　before　he　enters　a　village；　is　frequently　received　with　a　sacrifice　of　animal　life　or　food；　or　of　fire　and　incense。　The　Afghan　Boundary　Mission；　in　passing　by　villages　in　Afghanistan；　was　often　met　with　fire　and　incense。　Sometimes　a　tray　of　lighted　embers　is　thrown　under　the　hoofs　of　the　traveller's　horse；　with　the　words；　You　are　welcome。　On　entering　a　village　in　Central　Africa　Emin　Pasha　was　received　with　the　sacrifice　of　two　goats；　their　blood　was　sprinkled　on　the　path　and　the　chief　stepped　over　the　blood　to　greet　Emin。　Sometimes　the　dread　of　strangers　and　their　magic　is　too　great　to　allow　of　their　reception　on　any　terms。　Thus　when　Speke　arrived　at　a　certain　village；　the　natives　shut　their　doors　against　him；　because　they　had　never　before　seen　a　white　man　nor　the　tin　boxes　that　the　men　were　carrying：　'Who　knows；'　they　said；　'but　that　these　very　boxes　are　the　plundering　Watuta　transformed　and　come　to　kill　us？　You　cannot　be　admitted。'　No　persuasion　could　avail　with　them；　and　the　party　had　to　proceed　to　the　next　village。

The　fear　thus　entertained　of　alien　visitors　is　often　mutual。　Entering　a　strange　land　the　savage　feels　that　he　is　treading　enchanted　ground；　and　he　takes　steps　to　guard　against　the　demons　that　haunt　it　and　the　magical　arts　of　its　inhabitants。　Thus　on　going　to　a　strange　land　the　Maoris　performed　certain　ceremonies　to　make　it　common；　lest　it　might　have　been　previously　sacred。　When　Baron　Miklucho…Maclay　was　approaching　a　village　on　the　Maclay　Coast　of　New　Guinea；　one　of　the　natives　who　accompanied　him　broke　a　branch　from　a　tree　and　going　aside　whispered　to　it　for　a　while；　then　stepping　up　to　each　member　of　the　party；　one　after　another；　he　spat　something　upon　his　back　and　gave　him　some　blows　with　the　branch。　Lastly；　he　went　into　the　forest　and　buried　the　branch　under　withered　leaves　in　the　thickest　part　of　the　jungle。　This　ceremony　was　believed　to　protect　the　party　against　all　treachery　and　danger　in　the　village　they　were　approaching。　The　idea　probably　was　that　the　malignant　influences　were　drawn　off　from　the　persons　into　the　branch　and　buried　with　it　in　the　depths　of　the　forest。　In　Australia；　when　a　strange　tribe　has　been　invited　into　a　district　and　is　approaching　the　encampment　of　the　tribe　which　owns　the　land；　the　strangers　carry　lighted　bark　or　burning　sticks　in　their　hands；　for　the　purpose；　they　say；　of　clearing　and　purifying　the　air。　When　the　Toradjas　are　on　a　head…hunting　expedition　and　have　entered　the　enemy's　country；　they　may　not　eat　any　fruits　which　the　foe　has　planted　nor　any　animal　which　he　has　reared　until　they　have　first　committed　an　act　of　hostility；　as　by　burning　a　house　or　killing　a　man。　They　think　that　if　they　broke　this　rule　they　would　receive　something　of　the　soul　or　spiritual　essence　of　the　enemy　into　themselves；　which　would　destroy　the　mystic　virtue　of　their　talismans。

Again；　it　is　believed　that　a　man　who　has　been　on　a　journey　may　have　contracted　some　magic　evil　from　the　strangers　with　whom　he　has　associated。　Hence；　on　returning　home；　before　he　is　readmitted　to　the　society　of　his　tribe　and　friends；　he　has　to　undergo　certain　purificatory　ceremonies。　Thus　the　Bechuanas　cleanse　or　purify　themselves　after　journeys　by　shaving　their　heads；　etc。；　lest　they　should　have　contracted　from　strangers　some　evil　by　witchcraft　or　sorcery。　In　some　parts　of　Western　Africa；　when　a　man　returns　home　after　a　long　absence；　before　he　is　allowed　to　visit　his　wife；　he　must　wash　his　person　with　a　particular　fluid；　and　receive　from　the　sorcerer　a　certain　mark　on　his　forehead；　in　order　to　counteract　any　magic　spell　which　a　stranger　woman　may　have　cast　on　him　in　his　absence；　and　which　might　be　communicated　through　him　to　the　women　of　his　village。　Two　Hindoo　ambassadors；　who　had　been　sent　to　England　by　a　native　prince　and　had　returned　to　India；　were　considered　to　have