INVOCATION OF THEIR DEITIES. 251 



and to whom their power is reported to be equal, reside 

 on the earth, in the woods and mountains. Such is all the 

 information I am able to offer respecting the spirits 

 and divinities, in the existence of which these tribes 

 believe. I am perfectly aware that there are many others 

 whose names I have not recorded ; but that these are 

 the only ones supplicated on ordinary occasions I am 

 sure, having made repeated inquiries, and been present 

 at many invocations of them, some of which will be 

 described in the course of the work. 



Tuppa or Jerroang is always invoked at their 

 agricultural and other peaceful feasts, and, together 

 with the sun, moon arid stars, and the Sultan of Bruni, 

 and their own Rajah, are requested to shed their 

 beneficent influence over the seed Padi, and to render 

 the season propitious to its growth. They regulate 

 their agricultural seasons by the motions of the heavenly 

 bodies, particularly the Pleiades, which they call 

 ' Sakara,'* and to the several stars, on which they bestow 

 the attributes of gods. On all occasions of great festi- 

 vities, such as the planting the seed, or gathering in 

 of the harvest, a stage of bamboo is erected in front of the 

 door of the village chief, on which the offerings to the 

 gods are placed, consisting of the choicest morsels from the 

 plentiful feast which is always provided on these occa- 

 sions. From this food, the gods are supposed to extract 

 the essence, and the remnants are eaten by the Dyaks as 

 sacred morsels at the conclusion of the festival. The 

 Triu and Kamang spirits of war are only invited to 



* Is this the Batara Sakra of the Hindu Javan mythology, to 

 whose particular care the earth was confided ? 



