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96
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1997.
Vessels fall of drink were set in Tâtir and Upper Egypt funeral pits. In China, a fenst is begun by pouring out liquor, a form of grace before meat.7 At some fenats a loving cup is also blessed and passed round. In drinking, the Chinese clink cups in old English style. The followers of the Grand Lana of Tibet offer their god bread and wine.50 The Ainos, an early tribe of North Japan, before drinking, throw liquor or saki over the head as an offering to the spirits.61 Rice beer is offered to the gods of the sea in a Shinto temple in Japan.52 The custom of drinking healths is prevalent in Japan.53 In Central Africa, possessing or hannting spirits are driven out by forcing the possessed to drink.54 The Wanikis of East Africa carouse at marriages, deaths and all other religious rites. In East Africa, the people of the Ugogo country mourn their chief by pouring liquor and sprinkling ashes over the body. In Dahomey, the custom of drinking toasts is observed, 57 apparently with the same object as smoking toasts in New Guinea.68 In East Africa, plantain spirit is a favourite medicine, oiten curing illness.59 At their religious feasts the Indians of South America get hopelessly drank.co In Jamaica, when negroes have to cut down a sacred silk-cotton tree, they pour much wine round the roots of the tree, and the cutters are made to drink until they are drank.61 In Mexico, during the five bad days that come every four years, children were made to pass through fire and to drink spirits.69 The Mexicans washed in wine, and considered wine holy.63 At present, in Mexico, on entering the linacal or brewery where the pulque or bitter aloe milk, the Some of the New World, ferments, every one says " Alabo à Dios, I praise God," and reverently takes off his hat. When a fresh supply of aloe milk is poured into the vat the vatman with a long switch makes the sign of the cross in the curdled milk already in the vat saying "Hail, most Holy Mary." To this the milk-bringer replies: " I praise God and the most Holy Trinity."
In the Egyptian ritual (B. C. 2000), to keep evil spirits from coming near the dead body, the mourner, morning and evening, sprinkled the whole honse with sacred herbs and liquor.65 A law bound the ancient Athenians to keep to the last pare and unmixed wine for a relishing taste to the honour of the good genius.co The Greek funeral fire was put out with wine.67 In Rome, the object of drinking wine by the men who ran round the town in the Lupercalia seems to have been to drive away spirits. Roman funerals sometimes ended in boisterous scenes. Before the Roman senate began business each senator dropped wine and incense on the altar.6) The early Skandinavians had the custom of drinking immoderately at the winter solstice in honour of the gods. After sacrificing they drank to Odin for victory and to Njord and Freja for a good season. They also drank to friends killed in battle. When they became Christians they drank to God, to Christ, and to the saints.71 In Skandinavin, a new king always drank an ox-horn of wine before sitting on the throne.72 Liquor is drunk in Russia
46 Yule's Cathay, p. 509.
47 Gray's China, Vol. II. p. 6o. + Kidd's Chisa, p. 324.
19 Cubbold's Chinese, p. 55. * Iuman's Ancient Faiths, Vol. II. p. 203.
61 St. John's Nipon, p. 29. 52 Reed's Japan, Vol. II. p. 142.
65 Op. cit. Vol. II. p. 150. Tylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 148.
05 New's East Africa, p. 96. 56 Cameron's Across Africa, Vol. I. p. 120.
67 Burton's Dahomey, Vol. I. p. 208. 65 Ingle's Australian Cousins, p. 32.
59 New's East Africa, p. 397. 60 Jourti. Ethno. Soc. Vol. II. p. 224.
61 The National Rovioso, June 1895, p. 560. The sense seems to be the spirit who has been dislodged from the silk.cotton tree is enticed by the liquor spilt on the ground and into the wood-cutters, and so loses his chance of doing an injury. This detail is an illustration of the law mentioned in the previous note on "Liquor," that the caremonial drinker is a scape-goat drinking from duty in order that the angry or evil influence may house itself in him and so cause no general mischief. 62 Bancroft, Vol. III. p. 376.
* Op. cit. Vol. III. Pp. 351-376. 64 Brookleburat's Mexico of To-day, p. 82.
* Lenormant's Challean Magic, p. 93. 66 Potter's Antiquities, Vol. II. p. 213.
67 Illustrated Dublin Journal, p. 165. 65 Leckie's European Rationalism, Vol. I. p. 218. 69 Gibbon's Decline and Fall, Vol. II. p. 20. TO Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 198.
11 Op. cit. p. 196. T2 Jones' Crouens, p. 538.
