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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1894.
disease disappears.12 The Burmans use the following articles to cure sores or spirit-diseases :the hand of a lizard, sulphur, the bulb of a white lily, roast chillies, and cock's dang.13 A Burman, also when suffering from headache, hangs up pictures of peacocks and hares under the eaves; headache is considered a syn (or a moon.)etroke, and the peacock belongs to the sun and the hare to the moon.14 Spirits are considered one of the chief causes of disease in Barma, 15 and the Buddhist novice is asked if he is free from madness or other ills caused by giants, witches, or the evil spirits of forests and hills.26 In China epidemics are supposed to be devil-caused.17 The Chinese believe that drought is caused by evil spirits, 18 and also any sickness that does not give way to medicine.10 The belief that spirits cause disease, is widespread in China.20 Ancestors are supposed to cause sickness if their tombs are neglected; they are appeased by the present of paper money and paper clothes,21 When a Chinaman has had an ill-omened dream he fills his mouth with water, slashes the air with a sword, and holding a red or yellow scroll in his hand says: “O scroll, avert all evil influences."92 In China, spirits are supposed to raise storms, especially the survier squalls known as "devils" winds,"23 and the stye is exorcised by a priest in order that the pigs may not become diseased.24 The spirits of cows are much feared in China, and must be driven away by exorcists or priests; otherwise the whole berd may die.25 In China, when many people are drowned the belief is that the spirits of the poor have caused the accident. They have had no proper funeral and so are angry.28
The West Australians believe that sickness is caused by evil spirits; doctors go round the sick man, and shout to keep the devil away. They do not believe in natural death,27 but believe that fatal sickness is caused by their medicine-men, called Boglias, who can kill even at a distance from the power of some stones in their stomachs.28 In Australasia, illness and death, especially of the young, is attributed either to sorcery or to evil spirits.29 The Motus of New Guinea connect a sudden attack of illness with an evil spirit, called Vata. He is supposed to live in the bush ; they neither worship nor propitiate him in any way. When a person is taken ill they say Vata has killed him; the patient's life is despaired of, and little or nothing is done to him. In rare cases some leaves and roots are used as an antidote in charming diseases.30 Spirits cause epidemics, and so the Motus after an epidemic drive away the disease-spirit by beating sticks, shouting, making a noise generally, and throwing burning. sticks into the air,31 The Samoans hold that all disease marks the displeasure of some god. In cases of sickness the village priest is consulted, gifts are made, and mouthfuls of water are sprinkled over the sick bed.33
The Tanalas of Madagascar believe that sudden death is caused by witchcraft; and other tribes, especially the Sihanakas, think all death to be due to witchcraft. When the dead is in the tomb the Sihannkas say: "Whoever it is that has bewitched you, break him upon the rock that the children may see it."33 The people of Madagascar believe that any one who is sick is possessed by an evil spirit.34 In East Africa a madman is said to have fiends.35 Barrerness is a spirit disease, and so in South Central Africa a baton of wood covered with grass is rubbed on a woman to cure her of barrenness.36 The people of South Central Africa think that sickness is due either to spirits or to sorcery.37 The inhabitants of the country to
12 Shway Yoe's The Burman, Vol. II. p. 138. 1. Op. cit. Fol. II. p. 137. 16 Shway Yoe's The Burman, Vol. I. p. 138. 18 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 113. 20 Gray's China, Vol. II. p. 17. 25 Op. cit. p. 286. 20 Op. cit. p. 85. 2 Op. cit. Fol. VII. p. 289. 30 Op. cit. p. 453. 32 Pritchard's Polynesian Remaitis, p. 147. 84 Op. cit. p. 295. * Pinto's How I crossed Africa, Vol. I. p. 357.
19 Op. cit. Vol. II. p. 140. 16 Fytche's Burma, Vol. II. p. 79. 11 Gray's China, Vol. II. p. 31. 10 Cubbold's China, p. 69. 31 Op. cit. p. 23.
23 Op. cit. p. 13. 24 Op. cit. p. 169.
38 Op. cit, p. 155. 27 Jour. Anthrop. Inst. Vol. V. p. 319. 29 Wallace's Australasia, p. 103. 31 Op. cit., loc. cit. 13 Sibree's Madagascar, p. 291. 35 Tylor's Primitire Culture, Vol. II. p. 130. 57 Cp. cit. Vol. I. p. 130.
