SHAVIXG THE HEAL- OF A YOUNG CHILD. 273 



tliis Supreme Being — shall dwell far ahove the clouds 

 near the Omniscient One. They who have done 

 wickedly shall never rise to the abode of the happy 

 nor remain on earth, but continually, in solitude and 

 sorrow, wander about on the clouds, longing in vain 

 to join their brothers who are above or beneath them. 

 Nabiata also instituted circumcision, which was per- 

 formed on both sexes when they attained the age of 

 eight or ten years. From the introduction of this 

 rite we may infer that this Nabiata was a Mohamme- 

 dan teacher, probably an Arab, who had found his 

 way to this region on a Javanese or Malay prau, 

 that had come to purchase cloves. Finally, according 

 to their leo-end, Nabiata made men of birth his dis- 

 ciples and teachers, and ascended to the abode of the 

 good from whence he came. 



One day, while at Kayeli, I received a most polite 

 invitation to attend a feast at one of the rajah's 

 houses. The occasion was the shaving of a young 

 child's head. An Arab priest began the rite by re- 

 peating a prayer in a monotonous nasal chant, iive 

 others joining in from time to time by way of a 

 chorus. After the long prayer was ended, a servant 

 brought in the child, and another servant followed 

 carrying a large plate partly filled with water, in 

 which were two parts of the blossom of a cocoa-nut- 

 palm, a razor, and a pair of shears. The child was 

 first earned to the chief priest, who dipped his fingers 

 in the water, placed them on the child's head, and 

 then cut off a lock of hair with the large shears. The 

 lock of hair was then carefully thrown into the water 

 along with a guilder. We all did the same. Tea 

 is 



