The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-18

More food was served as an Offering.
Then the Kattadiya, lifting his patient
in his arms carried her back to the
hut, where no one was permitted to
peep, much less to enter.
| The curtain fell on the first act, to
| rise again in the course of a quarter OF
an hour or more dancing and music, IN
which the Netun Karayo and the Bere-
Wayos surpassed themselves surely. 1t
was pandemonium. The performers
energy had been undoubtedly reinvigor-
ated by the betel chewing and rest. We
were offered "betel," but declined with
thanks. 1t was just a. m, when the
Kattadiya reappeared. He had taken
I a bath in the sea, and was wearing
clean waistcloth. He held UP his right
hand; music and dancing ceased in
stanter. Then pointing his dhorjee at
the hut he drew it solemnly, slowly
back toward him. Once, twice, thrice,
when in response the woman, still APP
parently in sound sleep, abnormally
sound, came walking out of the hut.
Her eyes fast closed she followed every
movement of the dhorjee. When it was
pointed in miGair her face was uplifted
to it; her eyelids closed fixed on 1t.
By a clrcuitous route she was directed
and drawn up to the Kattadiya, remain
ing by his side, fixed, fascinated, his
very shadow. A fine Jungle cock was
then brought forth and slaughtered on
the altar The demon" | was told,
would not entirely quit without an offer
ing Of blood. The conquest was even
now not quite complete.
The Kan-ya- Nool, thread spun by
a virgin at sunset, and saturated with
oil, saffron and lime, was then adjust
ed around the woman's person. This
thread is an amulet, and is first bless
ed by the breath of the .Kattadiya, then
put on and touched by himself alone.
Dummala, species of very inflamm-
able rosin, the gum Of the Sal tree,
gungah, Indian hemp, and other drugs
and narcotics best not to mention in
chetties were placed around the patient,
who presently, became wellnigh OBJ
scured by their fumes. After this the
Hooniyan Kerema, when a pumpkin
was cut in halves, the Kattadiya mean
while commanding the last departing
demon to enter therein and take UP his
abode. Instinct, learning or psychome-
try apprised him Of the demons acqui-
essence presumably, for after a few
the pumpkin was flung into the
sea. Lastly huge nail was driven into
the stem Of the loftiest cocoanut PALM
to "impale any stray demon that might
be lurking about on mischief bent"
The patient was certainly changed-a
different being apparently. All that de-
6n0t OWL ola tUon- hpr
her soft, black velvety Oriental eyes.
Natural now she looked, and acted con-
with her sex and caste. Her
first expression was one Of astonish-
ment, be wilderment indeed for second |
or two, then her impulse was to go and
seek seclusion. But to this the Katta-
diya objected. She must remain in a
suppliant posture until the fol-
lowing was intoned in a jargon half |
Tamil, half Singahalese:
20 Brahma, silva, Vishnu, o Walia,
come! Come Hanamantu! Come, all |
We gods. Ye demons, be bound, be con-
fined, be conquered. Be subservient to
our will. BY the power of Vishnu I
compel We: l and the higher gods (devas) |
are one. o Demon Reer Yahseya, be
bound by this charm; by our will I
This ended-and 1t was truly impress
'ive as chanted by that powerful bronze
statue of a man in the dead silence-the
asst of the Pisacas or malignant de-
mons was said to have departed. The
was freed. One long, convul-
jive shudder proclaimed this. The fret
,ock announced the break of another
lay when we arose to go, and by the
lual light of paing moon and rising
sun wendell our way along the seashore
o our picturesque bungalow amid the
palms.-tBy permission of the
leonard Scott Publication Company,
Iew York.