20 IN MALAY FORESTS. 



purified from all mortal taint by smoke, and then, 

 also with a lighted candle on its rim, carried out 

 of the house by Che Mat, and hung on a tree. r i, '"- 

 marked the conclusion of the opening stage of the 

 proceedings. The rice on the tray between the two 

 men was of a peculiar kind, considered a delicacy, 

 which is used in sweetmeats, and was intended to 

 attract the attention of the spirits we desired to 

 invoke. The parched rice outside the house was 

 for any of the thousand and one wandering demons 

 who might appear, and who, unless thus provided 

 for, might mar the proceedings. The curry and rice 

 was for the audience, most of whom at once followed 

 it to a corner of the room, and devoted an undivided 

 attention to it. 



After an interval both men stripped to the waist, 

 and Pa' Senik took up his instrument, and to the 

 same drear chant reiterated the purpose for which 

 we met. Che Mat in the meantime undoing the 

 handkerchief that Malays bind round their heads, 

 let a mass of long hair fall down upon his shoulders, 

 and carefully combed it out and anointed it with 

 cocoanut-oil. He then bound his handkerchief round 

 the long glistening hair, and rolled it scarf -wise round 

 his head. When this was done he brought forward 

 more saucers of rice, and held them in the smoke 

 of the censer, and passed his hands, his head, his 

 breast, his knees, and his back through the pungent 

 incense, ending by moving the censer three times 

 round himself. He bowed to the four cardinal 

 points, took some of the rice in his hand, and, 

 muttering a spell over it, blew upon it in the pro- 



