THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. 205 



depending on their belief, are observed, and many 

 conjurations prevail. We have mentioned the 

 cutting of the dolphin. A small fish is caught 

 very often, with which children are not allowed 

 to play. Should it happen that any person held 

 this fish by the tail, so that the head hung down, all 

 the fish would, in the same manner, seek the bot- 

 tom of the sea with their heads at the next fishery, 

 and none would be caught. Many people are not 

 allowed to eat of the fruits of the banana bunch. 

 Only that person who has eaten one of the ba- 

 nanas is suffered to eat the rest. 



On the desert island of Fajo, as at Bygar, fresh 

 water is conjured into the w^ater pits. 



There is a species of black-bird, which is under 

 divine protection on this island, and not permitted 

 to be eaten. 



The people of Eap are famed for their skill in 

 conjuration. They understand how to conjure the 

 sea, to lay the storm, and, in a calm, to call up the 

 wind from the favourable quarter. They understand, 

 by throwing, with conjuration, an herb into the sea, 

 to excite the waves, and to raise the most dreadful 

 storms. To them is ascribed the destruction of so 

 many boats from Feis and Mogemug, nay, even the 

 gradual depopulation of these islands. In a piece 

 of fresh water, in the territory of Sutemil, there 

 are two fish, only a span long, but extremely old j 

 they keep constantly in one line, with their heads 

 turned towards each other. If one of them is 



