BOTH] THE SPIRITS OF THE WATER 253 



thus, if one has to speak of a rock, it must he described as " that wliich 

 is hard;" if it is a lizard, they must similarly j)araplii-ase by saj'ing 

 "that which ha-s a long tail." It is dangerous also to name the 

 streams and little islands that they pass en route. Even the medi- 

 cine-men may not be mentioned as such: infringement of this rule 

 will cause at least rain to fall, without reckoning that one is exposed 

 to shipwreck, together with the likelihood of some frightful monster 

 rismg from out the deep, ami swallowing the whole lot (PBa, 184). 

 Eecords have been left to us of similar practices by the Carib islanders. 

 When they have to cross the sea . . . upon approacliing land, this 

 must not be named or pomted out, but it can be noticed by shouting 

 iyra./ "It is there! " (BBR, 245). 



