XVI MAGIC, SPELLS, AND CHARMS 131 



demons." Even then, however, it does not follow that she 

 is able to see when an evil spirit has ceased to possess a 

 person. One old female, who had worked at bayoh for 

 fifteen years, admitted that if a devil went into herself she 

 could turn it out, but only a more powerful woman than 

 herself could turn devils out of others. 



Two forms of bayoh are known to the people of Niah, but 

 it is only with the bayoh sadong that there is any need to 

 deal here. The other form is used by the Punans, or mixed 

 Punans and Malanaus. If it is supposed that some illness is 

 due to possession by an evil spirit, it is decided to call the 

 medicine women and get the unwelcome visitant to depart, 

 though it is not considered possible in all cases to turn a 

 demon out of his mortal abode. Offerings of eggs and fowls 

 to the good spirits having proved fruitless, a day is fixed for 

 the bayoh, preferably shortly after a good harvest, and the 

 household begins its preparations for the occasion. As 

 powerful spirits are to be invited to the house, the room 

 where they are to appear is decked with a profusion of 

 ornaments suited to such exalted guests. Great tassels of 

 white shavings are hung upon the walls, a white cloth adorned 

 with the blossoms of the areca palm hides the rafters, and 

 these graceful inflorescences are spread out fanwise over 

 the doors and among the shavings. In one corner a hollow 

 cone of areca blossoms and shavings spread over a frame- 

 work of rattan is suspended from a rafter ; and a model of 

 a ship or raft is placed just outside an open window. As 

 the function takes place at night, candles of beeswax are 

 set about to give light. At the appointed time brass dishes 

 are put on the floor with rice of many colours — yellow, red, 

 and blue — spread in patterns of crocodiles ; popcorns of rice 

 and maize, water, and washing utensils, boxes of betel ready 

 for chewing, tobacco, and cigarettes, to appease the varied 

 appetites of the spirits invoked. Just after sundown the 

 neighbours troop in and settle themselves round the room, 

 the ill-mannered pushing themselves in front. Certain of 

 the villagers agree to form the band. Soon the house is 

 full of people, boys and old men contentedly chewing and 

 smoking, women retiring to darker parts of the room to 

 gossip. A person of importance will be received with 

 some show of civility, but without any definite ceremony. 

 Arabian incense, kamanyan, which is used nowadays 

 because the native garu has too high a value for export 

 to be consumed at home, disperses a not unpleasant smell 



