noTuI THE SPIKITS OF THE SKY. 257 



199. A peculiar custom among the Makusis, practised as soon as tlie 

 new moon is visible (Sect. 227), is that of all the men standing before 

 the doors of their huts, and drawing tlu-ir arms backward and forward 

 in its direction at short intervals: by this means they are strengthened 

 for the chase (ScE, ii, 328). "As soon as tlie new moon appears, they 

 all run out of tlieir huts and cry Loolc at the moon! . . . They take 

 certain leaves, and after rolling them in the shape of a small funnel, 

 they pass some drops of water througli it into the eye, while looking 

 at the moon. This is very good for tlu> sight" (BBE, 228). The 

 first night of the incoming moon was considered the proper occasion 

 for obtaining clay for tlie manufacture of pots and other utensils 

 whicli, it was beheved, would not spee(Uly be broken (Sect. 258). 



200. With regard to tlie explanations given as to the nature of the 

 eclipse of the moon, I have obtained the following at fii-st-hand from 

 the Pomeroon Arawaks. The phenomenon is due to its traveling 

 along the Sun's path, faUing susleep, and so not being able to get out 

 of tiie way quickly enough. With the object of awakening the Moon 

 members of this tribe strike drums, blow shells, and make a big noise 

 generally, whenever tlie echpse takes place. Tiiey must also keep 

 themselves lively and active, and during the whole night must eat 

 abs(dutely notiiing; were they to break the fast, they would cluinge 

 into whatever animal or j)lant tiicy might be eating (Sect. 2J^8). 

 Indeed, it is a common behef among these peojde that, at the time of 

 an ech|)se, there is a constant change or transformation-scene taking 

 place on Nature's stage, in both anmial and vegetable kingdom^!, 

 owing to this cause. Tlie transformation is not necessarily sudden 

 but may take time. I can call to mind an t)ld Arawak story of a hunter 

 who liad gone to visit one of the streams away back from the Moruca 

 River: On tlie first occasion he sees a huge land-camudi; on the 

 second, at the time of an echpse, he finds the snake changed into a 

 tapu-; and on tlie third he sees it swimming in tiic water as a nianati. 



201. .Vs to tiie Orinoco Indian trilies, Gumilla has left us some very 

 interesting records concerning tlie eclipse of the moon. Some of 

 these nations believed that it was about to die: others that it was 

 angi-y with them, and that it would give them no more light. The 

 Lolaca and Atabaca Inihans held to the death theory (G, ii, 274) 

 and were under the conviction that if tiie Moon were indeed to die, 

 all exposed fij-es would be extinguished. Their women, cr^-ing and 

 j'elhng — an outburst in which the men joined — accordingly would 

 each seize a glowing ember and hide it, either in the sand or under- 

 ground. Moved by their tears and entreaties, the Moon however 

 recovers, and the hidden fires are extinguished: but were he indeed 

 to die, the concealed embers would remain alight. The SaUvas had 

 different views (G. ii, 277). AH the warriors stand u[) in rows facing 

 the ^h>on, offering him their prowess and strength and entreating 



15961°— 30 F.TH— 1.5 17 



