446 A NATUHALIST'S WANDEBINGS 



the hillside apart along with the chosen. If the left limb of the 

 fowl remain elevated, or the siri spittle on the hrow and breast 

 of the applicant appear of a dark colour he stands rejected, 

 and retires crest-fallen to a place in another group on the left* 

 Those rejected on the first occasion may re-consult the omens 

 a second time ; and, if the fates permit them to go to the war, 

 it is probable that they may be w^onnded, and not impossible 

 that they may be killed. If any man who has been rejected, 

 however, dares to venture into the fight, he will certainly, 

 they implicitly believe, be killed, whereas in the case of those 

 Avhom the Lidi has chosen, no bullet or weapon can hurt them. 

 AVhen the number of those who are to fight is complete, theii' 

 leader is called out before them by the Dato-Liih\ who, after 

 giving him siri and pinang out of his own mouth to eat, 

 instructs him how to treat the wounded, and to give .the dying 

 their last siri and pinang, a supply of w^hich he gives him from 

 that preserved in the TJma-LuW 



During war the Bato never quits the Uma-LuJi ; liis food 

 is brought to him or cooked inside. Day and night he must 

 keep the fire burning, for should he permit it to die, disaster 

 will happen to those in the field which .will continue as long 

 as the hearth is cold. He must besides drink only hot water 

 during the time the army is absent, for every draught of cold 

 water would damp the spirits of the people, so that they could 

 not prevail. On their return from the war the 

 out to welcome them at the head of all those who remained 

 behind — the women beating musical instruments, and shouting 

 " Osivai I Osu-ai I " to the men who are returning laden with 

 heads. 



Their belief in the presence of a supernatural Presence 

 resident in the in/f-house is absolute. I was told, with the 

 most perfect belief of my informant in his own statements, that 

 one of the Catholic priests from Dilly, while on a proselytizin 

 mission, having demanded that the Lull house should be 

 dismantled and its profane ornaments cleared out, was instantly 

 on his setting foot within the door to commit the sacrilegious 

 act which no one else would dare to do, threatened by the 

 sacred spear, sword and gun in invisible hands, while the altar- 

 stone bounded about through the building so menacingly that 

 he was glad to beat a retreat ! When it is necessary to erect 



Bato 



cr 



