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MAY, 1885.]
ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF INDIA.
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vessels must die like men, but their ghosts devoured by a tiger, and that he after. survive. The Khasias, while burning the wards appeared to his friends, telling them corpse, make offerings to the ghost, that it may that, if worship were paid to him, he would be kindly disposed to them hereafter, but take protect them from that animal. They acted little thought about the future life. The Kukis apon the suggestion, and he was duly installed imagine a paradise in the north, where the among their gods. The Bhuiyas, of Keonjhar, good will enjoy abundance without labour, after the funeral rites are concluded, place a where the enemies one has slain will attend him vessel, filled with rice and flour, upon the as slaves, and the cattle he has killed in acts of grave. This has the effect of recalling the hospitality will be restored to him. The wick- ghost, for, after a time, the print of a fowl's ed will be subjected to the worst tortures foot will be plainly visible at the bottom of the imagination can devise. The Toda after the vessel death goes to a home in the west, where It would be interesting to know how the he is joined by the ghosts of his buffaloes, and speculations of these rade tribes regarding the goes on living just as before. It does not origin of the universe and of the human race appear that he ever returns to trouble his compare with those of more civilised peoples; relations.
but we have little information on this point. According to what seems to be the prevailing It does not seem to be a subject upon which view, however, the spirit acquires after death they have spent mueh thought. It is enough divine powers to some degree, and hovers about for them to know that they and the world its former abode in a restless and uncomfort. are, without taking the trouble to inquire how able state. It has wants much like those they came to be. A few exceptions are worth experienced in the body, and if these are not noting. The legend of the Singhpos, to which attended to it becomes malicious, and the cause we have already alluded, is that "they were of innumerable vexations to its kindred and originally created and established on a plateau neighbours. The Pani-Koch offer some of the called 'Mijai-Singra-Bhum,' situated at the first-fruits of the harvest to the ancestral spirits, distance of two months' journey from Sadiya, clapping the kands to attract their notice. washed by a river flowing in a southerly direcThe priests of the Kirantis celebrate two tion to the Irawadi. During their sojourn festivals yearly to ancestors. Among the there they were immortal, and held celestial Kharwars, each family sacrifices annually a intercourse with the planets and all heavenly wether goat to the dead. The Hos celebrate a intelligences, following the pure worship of the festival to the shades, after the sowing of the Sapreme Being." They, however, fell by bathfirst rice-crop, in order that they may favouring in forbidden water, and, descending to the the sprouting of the grain. It is also the earth, became mortal, and adopted the debased custom with them to prepare for a visit from worship of their neighbours. The Abors get the ghost of the deceased on the evening when back as far as the first mother of the race, the body is consumed. Some boiled rice is set who had two sons, the elder of whom was skilled apart in the house, and ashes are sprinkled on in hunting and the younger in handicraft. Like the floor, by which its footsteps may be detect- Rebecca, she loved the younger son better than ed. The relatives then go cutside, and, walk- the elder, and migrated with him to the west, ing round the funeral pile, invoke the spirit. taking along all the products of his skill. If, on returning to the house, the ashes are Before forsaking her elder son, she gave him a found disturbed, they are filled with terror at stock of blue and white beads, and taught him the supposed presence of the ghost. The how to make the dúo, a sort of hill-knife, and Santâls have very little to say about a futare musical instruments from the gourd. The life, though offerings are made to ancestors at Abors are the descendants of the elder brother, the close of the late harvest. The Korwas, of while the younger brother became the progeniSirgdja, told Colonel Dalton that they worship- tor of the Englieh and other western nations. ped no gods, but that the head of each house- The Gârog, who do not seem lacking in imagi. hold made offerings to the dead. The Gonds nation, explain the origin of the world as say that one of their chiefs was, in early life, follows:-The germ of creation was a self.
