94 Pomander Collection of Hazvaiian Folk-lore. 



others. There were, however, two particular circumstances to which this crossing of 

 the hands apphed ; it appertained either to privation, or to the affliction of the person cross- 

 ing- the hands. The adepts and those accustomed to the knowledge of the priesthood 

 express their interpretations as follows: If a person was walking along, and while 

 doing so on the road crossed his hands behind his back without a reason for so doing, then 

 the priest of the order of priesthood would say: "You will be found guiltv for the offense 

 that you were complained of, because there was no cause for your crossing your hands 

 behind yovu" back." If a person had hopes to himself that he would be exonerated before 

 a court which made the complaint, or by any man, and if the crossing of the hands hap- 

 pened through himself while on his way, then \'indication would not be obtained by him, 

 because the omen stood for condemnation. 



ANOTHER FORM OF CROSSING THE HANDS. 



If a person was climbing a precipice and had reached a great height, if he crossed 

 his hands at that time, then the act did not appertain to the omens of the priesthood, being 

 simply the result of fatigue in climbing; and if an old man or old woman was seen cross- 

 ing the hands, old age was accounted as the cause of such act. It was not ap]ilicable 

 to the signs of the order of priesthood. If the person who crossed the hands happened 

 to be a sickly person, the act was due to his weak condition, and did not apply to the signs 

 of the order of ])riesthood. It is the same with other things of like nature. 



2y. OF A ONE-EYED PERSON. 



This was a knowledge of customary signs relating to the priesthood, the principles 

 and interpretations are the same as the former signs. For if a i;)erson thought that he had 

 a profit, a great i^rivilege perhaps for himself, by traveling, or else in some way he had 

 reason to hoi^e, if he met a one-eyed man on the road while thus going, the priest 

 would remark: "It is impossible for him to go where he had hoped; no great profiit 

 would be obtained by him, because he met a one-eyed man." If a second one-eyed 

 man was encountered on the road, or more perhajis, then the augury of adversity 

 would not ap]:)ly in that case, because the end of want had passed by; ill luck had van- 

 ished. As the signs were related to all profitable callings so was this knowledge related to 

 the signs of the order of the priesthood. 



28. CALLING FROM BEHIND. 



This also was a recognized omen of the order of the jiriesthood relating to un- 

 fa\'orable and other signs as set forth in former numbers. If a person had very great 

 hopes that he would derive a great benefit by traveling as he had already planned, and if 

 he was called by some i)erson from behind, then the ])riest would say: "It is unfavorable, 

 and no bencfil will be (il)taine(l, l)ecause of the call from behind." If a person was go- 

 ing where he thought he would obtain a blessing or a great benefit, if he was not called 

 from behind, his tri]) was considered well and beneficial. 



