MURTCIDiE. WHELK. 195 



sound is described as very loud, monotonous, and 

 dismal. 



We are told that in the island of Tanna, in the New- 

 Hebrides, shell trumpets are blown as signals to the 

 disease-makers, or sorcerers, to entreat them to stop 

 plaguing their victims. u These disease-makers col- 

 lected any nahak, or rubbish, that had belonged to any 

 one, such as the skin of a banana he had eaten, wrapped 

 it in a leaf like a cigar, and burnt it slowly at one end. 

 As it burnt, the owner's illness increased ; and if it was 

 burnt to the end, he died ; therefore, as soon as a man 

 fell ill, feeling sure that some sorcerer was burning his 

 rubbish, shell trumpets, which can be heard for miles, 

 are blown as a signal to the sorcerers to stop, and wait 

 for the presents which should be sent in the morning. 

 When a disease-maker fell ill himself, he too believed 

 that some one was burning his rubbish, and had his 

 shells blown for mercy." * 



The large chank-shell, Turbinella rapa, is a chief 

 instrument of the Buddhists, who blow three times a 

 day on this sacred shell, to summon believers to wor- 

 ship ; and the same authority states that, according to 

 the most ancient annals of the Cingalese, the chank- 

 shell is sounded in one of the superior heavens of the 

 demigods (similar to the conch-blowing tritons of 

 Grecian Mythology) in honour of Buddha, as often as 

 the latter wanders abroad on the earth. f Sir J. E. 

 Tennent mentions that this chank-shell is exported 

 from Ceylon to India as a wind instrument, and to 

 be sawn into rings for anklets and bracelets ; and also 



* Turner, ' Polynesia,' as quoted in Taylor's ' History of Mankind,' 

 p. 3 28. 



t ' Voyage of the Novara.' 



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