252 INVOCATION OF THEIR DEITIES. 



the feasts connected with, or occasioned by blood- 

 shed. 



These fierce spirits are invoked in a manner peculiar 

 and different from the more powerful divinities. The 

 person who is deputed to call them, and who is 

 generally the chief of the tribe, having prepared a 

 sirih leaf with lime, betel-nut and tobacco, places 

 it in his mouth, and, having chewed it for some time, 

 commences the prayer, speaking in a very fast manner, 

 and occasionally blowing towards the top of the moun- 

 tains the betel and sirih he has been masticating. 

 The invocation ends in a loud, long-continued and 

 most ludicrous squeak, during which I had the greatest 

 difficulty to keep the Malays, who accompanied me, from 

 interrupting the ceremony by their noisy laughter. This 

 invocation is carried on in the Dyak language at least 

 such of the words as I could catch were of it though 

 the missionaries of Banjar assert that the Kyans of that 

 part of the country have a language peculiar and sacred 

 for this purpose : some specimens of it are published in 

 the Journal of the ' Halle Missionary Society,' from the 

 pen of the Rev. C. Hupd 



On being questioned, the Dyaks have told me that 

 they have not a distinct language for their religious 

 purposes ; and I think that amongst those of Sarawak, 

 the apparent difference is to be accounted for in the 

 peculiar intonation they give to the syllables when using 

 them in their prayers. Some of the Dyaks, whom I 

 had an opportunity of examining on this point, spoke 

 Malay well, having lived while children in the Malayan 

 villages ; so that I think there could be no mistake, 



