418 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



Counter -charm. — A man must be very wise in counter-charming 

 to walk alone. In fact he must be able by incantations to do one 

 of the following : — 



(1) Charm his own body so that it becomes invisible, and 



he is as a spirit. 



(2) Charm a tree so that it will split open and take him in 



until the wizard has passed. 



(3) Change himself into a bird so that he may fly above 



the wizard's head. 



(4) Change himself into a snake so that he may crawl 



through the bush. 



Witches. — Witches can kill by : — 



(1) Cutting the heart open. 



(2) Drinking the blood in the veins. 



(3) Snapping the muscles and veins. 



(4) Breaking bones. 



(5) Deafening the ears and driving to madness. 



(6) Throttling. This is how children are killed. 



Witches can also fly about in the night. They go from moun- 

 tain to mountain on a piece of string, which bursts into flame as 

 they pass along. 



They also fly over the sea looking for canoes to capsize. They 

 can also go into the bowels of the earth, and when they rejoice there 

 are good crops, but if they become angry they can bring up an 

 epidemic which causes many deaths. 



Tabu. — Besides the wizards and witches, who are supposed to 

 be always ready to attack those who offend them, the poor people live 

 in constant dread of breaking some tabu which has been placed 

 across a path, or under trees. To break one of these tabus brings 

 on an attack of one of the following complaints : — Rheumatism, 

 pol5rpus, elephantiasis, ulcerated throat, asthma, blood-poisoning. 



Charms. — In order to make life at all bearable, and to counter- 

 act the evils strewn in their path, charming is resorted to. When 

 preparing for a sea-voyage : — 



(1) The body is charmed to prevent the witches from knowing 



that anyone is coming. 



(2) The canoe is charmed to make it strong and so that it 



will not leak. 



(3) The steer-paddle is charmed so that the canoe will not 



broach to. 



(4) The wooden baler is charmed so that it will not sound 



against the canoe, which would attract the witches. 



(5) The mast is charmed that it may not snap. 



(6.) The conch-shell is charmed so that when blown it will 

 drive away the squalls. 



(7) The waves are charmed to keep the sea calm. 



