MURICIDJE. 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. " 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. 

 Tenneat 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. 128. 



f ' Voyage of the Novara.' % 



o 2 



