134 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



spirit is cast out of the patient. If for seven nights the 

 attempt is made in vain, the bayoh is stopped and medicines 

 are tried again, but with little hope that they will do much 

 good. One of the bayohs I saw at Niah was on behalf of 

 a slightly mad woman, who became very violent during the 

 performance. She was said to be mad because she had 

 become a Mohammedan, and it was explained that the 

 Malanau demons had no power over the evil spirits of 

 Islam. The poor woman was consequently put into stocks 

 in her own room, and not long afterwards recovered. 



When a big spirit comes into one of the medicine 

 women, as they say, like a flash she feels its presence, but 

 does not see its form. If it agrees to help, the woman goes 

 on with the regular bayoh^ and soon feels confident that she 

 is able to make the patient well. She asks for rice and 

 other food, and spirit made from fruit, which she eats and 

 drinks to gratify the demon within her. She calls upon the 

 people to see that the viands are good, but not from any 

 selfish motive, for it is said that she is not aware that she 

 is eating at all. The coloured rice, which has been prepared, 

 is the spirit's share, and eggs are also given. The demon 

 invoked to help calls out to the evil spirit in possession of 

 the sick person, " You stay in this craft whilst I sit here." 

 "If you don't wish to stay here you can go to the woods, 

 or your former abode." The evil spirit then goes from the 

 patient into the basket prepared for his reception, and is 

 then induced or ordered to depart by the demon in the 

 medicine woman. What remains of the food set apart for 

 thvxspirit is scattered along the river. The bayoh is stopped, 

 ana thanksgiving offerings are floated out to sea that the 

 exertions of the supernatural powers may not have been in 

 vain, or these gifts may be taken into the jungle, where the 

 hollow cone and raft are also placed or hung from a tree. 



The medicine women work for a fee, and it is likely 

 enough that the length of the bayoh is influenced to some 

 extent by their pay. Sometimes the ceremony is most 

 gorgeous. A rattan swing, covered with a beautiful cloth, 

 is provided for the women and the patient to swing in, with 

 a platform near at hand to receive the evil spirit. Some- 

 times Ula Gemilang himself is invoked. On these occasions 

 the expenditure is profuse. A box is placed in the middle 

 of the room with a handsome covering. The walk up the 

 floor is covered with cloth of gold thread. There are seven 

 candles in seven brass sticks, seven betel stands, and seven 



