________________
122
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(MAY, 1835.
earth-digger, says his prayers he rings a bell at intervals, and blows * conoh. The Vadagales, & sect of Sri Vaishộavas in Mysore, ring a bell at their prayers. In Sonth India, during the temple service, the ministrant holds a bell in his left hand, and keeps ringing it.
Colonel Leslie suggests that bells obtained their original fame as anti-demoniacal in the forest-covered countries of Asia. The Troglodyte, when they travelled by night, fastened bells round the necks of their cattle to drive away wild beasts, and, for the same reason, the practice is common in many countries of Asia. A bell is still rang at Adam's Peak in Ceylon as a security against spirits. The Socotrans (1330) used to strike a piece of timber in lieu of a bell. The kings of Persia had robes with bell skirts, and Arab courtezans wear bells round their ankles, neck and elbows. The Shâmâus, or Tátâr priests, are covered with tags of bells and bits of iron 10 The Jewish high priest's robe was adorned with a row of golden bells and pomegranates.11
The Burmese love of bells is remarkable.13 Most of the monasteries have a multitude of bells on all sides. The largest bells are struck with deer's horn and wood.13 The object of ringing bells is to draw the attention of good spirits. There are wooden bells in Burmese monasteries.15 The Chinese consecrate bells to make them lucky or sacred; they smear them with the blood of some animal, generally a goat.18 A sick cow in China has a bell tied to her horn.17 In China, Buddhist priests ring a bell over a corpse: - Doolittle says to secure the repose of the dead.19 Several reasons are given by the Chinese for binding bells on to cattle, horses and camels.19 The Japanese temple-women- that is, the virgin priestesses who dancehave each of them a bunch of bells. The Japanese goddess Uzumê has bells hung from a bamboo cane.20
Little iron bells are worn as ornaments by the people of Ugara in East Africa 21 Exorcists and diviners in West Africa, inland from Benguella, were, according to Cameron, followed by men carrying bells, which they struck with iron.23 West African dancers wear bells.23 Great iron bells precede the Monbutta chief Munza. 24 Bells are worn at the garters by Moorish dancers.25 Close to the tomb of Galitzin, the prince-priest of the Allegliany Mountain, is a large bell.26
Bells have been found at Nineveh. They were known to the Greeks, but apparently were not used by the Christians till A. D. 410.27 In 1772 the Greek Church in Skandaroon had no bell. Instead of a bell they beat on a large iron bar.28 The Romans rung & bell in the rites for driving off the unfriendly dead.2 The Russians are very fond of bells. Bells are consecrated by them.30 In Russia, the bishops have little bells fastened to their robes and mantles. All post-houses have bells.31 The Russian church bells ring when the bishop comes.32 Bells are of great importance in the Roman Catholic ceremonies. When the Spanish Saint Teresa (1567) started to found a convent at Medina-del-Campo in Spain, she took a picture or two, some candles, a bell, and the Sacrament.33 When Isabella of Spain (1474) was proclaimed queen, the standards were unfurled, bells pealed, and cannons boomed.34 The • Buchanan's Mysore, Vol. I. p. 313.
• Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 332. . Dubois, Vol. II, p. 353.
7 Leslie's Early Races of Scotland, pp. 503, 504. • Yule's Cathay, Vol. I. p. 169.
Maurico's Indian Antiquities, Vol. V. p. 903. 10 Tylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 155.
11 Mackey's Freemasonry, p. 135. 12 Shway Yoe's The Burman, Vol. I. p. 242.
11 Op. cit. Vol. I. pp. 155, 196, 197. 16 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 245.
16 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 821. 16 Gray's China, Vol. I. p. 161.
11 Op.cit. Vol. II. p. 180. 10 Notes and Queries, April 1884.
19 Gray's China, Vol. II. p. 180. Reed's Japan, Vol. II, p. 174.
11 Cameron's Across Africa, Vol. I. p. 227. 11 Op.cit. Vol. II, p. 218.
78 Park's Travels, Vol. I. p. 42. * Schweinfarth's Heart of Africa, Vol. II. p. 96. » Chambers's Book of Days, p. 632. » Harper's Monthly Magarine, August 1883, p. 337. 91 Gibbon's Decline and Fall, Vol. VI. p. 25, note. # Parson's Travels, p. 9.
Ovid's Pasti, Vol. V. p. 441. * Mra, Romanoff's Rites and Customs of the GrancoRussian Church, p. 273.
31 Op. cit. p. 280. » Op. cit. p. 416. * Quart. Rev. October 1888, p. 415.
* Jones' Crowns, p. 416.