86 PRIMITIVE PATERNITY 



which is consecrated by thus standing for a while on 

 the grave and eat sirih-pinang together, putting some 

 also on the grave in a dish. They take the goat or 

 pig back home, to be sacrificed in accordance with the 

 husband's vow, only if the wife become pregnant. 1 

 The heathen Dyaks of Borneo offer domestic fowls 

 and other birds to water-gods against unfruitfulness, 

 which these divinities inflict upon women, or remit, at 

 their own uncontrolled pleasure ; but it does not 

 appear that the votaries bathe. The barren woman 

 (or sometimes a man) gives a big feast called Cara- 

 ramin and goes to the haunt of the Jata, or divinity, 

 in question in a boat beautifully decorated, taking 

 the birds with gilded beaks as offerings. These birds 

 are either thrown alive into the water, or their heads 

 are merely cut off and offered, while the bodies are 

 consumed by the votaries. In many instances, we are 

 told, carved wooden figures of birds are made use of, 

 instead of the real article. 2 The nature-goddess of the 

 Yorubas on the West Coast of Africa is represented 

 as a pregnant female ; and the water that is consecrated 

 by being kept in her temple is highly esteemed for 

 infertility and difficult labours. 3 Probably it is for 

 external application as in the case of the correspond- 

 ing goddess of the neighbouring Ewhe. 4 The Wan- 

 dorobbo of German East Africa celebrate a feast 



1 Ploss, Weiby i. 438, citing an article by Riedel in Bijdragen. 



2 Ibid. 436, citing Hein. 



3 Ibid. 439, citing Bastian. I suspect the goddess referred to is 

 Odudua, who is strictly speaking the Earth-goddess (see Ellis, 

 Yoruba, 41). But there is nothing to identify the passage of Bastian 

 referred to ; and if there were, we should probably be no better off. 

 The blessings invoked by students on both Bastian and Bartels will 

 always be of a limited character. 



4 Spieth, 716. 



