NOTES. 215 



Examples of it, beautifully damascened, are figured by T. Hol- 

 bein Hendley, CLE., in his work entitled " Damascening on 

 Steel or Iron, as practised in India ;" London, 1892.] 



3. ScorjJion stings. — In connection with my Note on this 

 subject in Part XL of this Journal, the following extracts from 

 letters which I have received from Dr. A. K. Coomaraswamy, 

 speak for themselves. 



E. B. GREEN. 



Extract referred to. 



" You know scorpion and centipede stings and bites are 

 supposed not to be bad, except on " Pohoya " days, four times a 

 month. The bite of venomous serpents is also worse on those days. 

 Another point of interest is that one should not kill the animal 

 that inflicts the wound (snake, scorpion, or centipede) until the 

 next day, as there is an idea that in some way it can take back the 

 poison if it remains alive." 



" I was stung in the foot one evening at Avisawella by the small 

 species of scorpion and it hurt badly, and I expected to have a bad 

 time. I rubbed in ammonia and chunam. The pain went off soon 

 and in ten minutes there was scarcely any. No trace next day. 

 Mr. W. D. Holland tells me the scorpion stings are of no account 

 too. I have told you about bad days for bites. People rely on 

 mantrams as a cure a good deal. Here is one given by the 

 Kadadeka Pansala Priest to Mr. Saxton as a sastri for snake 

 bite :— 



©sJ c^d <?§ s^dee©? 



1. e. — On turi turi yeswah 



On jaya jaya annatydneswaji 

 On jaya jayap khapaleswali 



" If the snake bites you on the left side, you must stroke 

 yourself with the left hand downwards from top of head right 

 down the arm, and touch the ground with your right hand ; do this 

 many times. If the snake bites you on the right side, do the same 

 with the other hand. The above (mmitram) is to be learnt by 

 lieart and repeated ". 



