103 
earth, a stone, or stakes of different heights to represent the 
two sexes. 
Having spoken of the deities reverenced by these primitive 
races and of the worship accorded to them, we proceed to 
describe the persons, whenever there are any such, whose 
special duty it is to perform that service. It may be said 
that, with few or no exceptions, all the tribes employ priests 
regularly or occasionally. When a tribe has no priests of its 
own, it borrows them from another tribe. Moreover, the 
office is usually not hereditary, but may be taken up or laid 
down at pleasure. In this respect, the priesthood among the 
aboriginal population of India stands in marked contrast 
with that of the Hindus. The Singphos have no regular 
priests of their own,.though members of the tribe some- 
times act as diviners. The Buddhist priests of their neigh- 
bours, the Khamtis, are greatly esteemed by them. Among 
the Garos the priest leads the same kind of life as the laity, 
and the only preparation needed by him before assuming the 
sacred office seems to be an ability to repeat the usual incan- 
tations. The Oraons, when in want of a priest, discover the . 
proper individual by divination. Taking a winnowing sieve 
in their hands, they march about the village, and are involun- 
tarily led away by movements of the sieve to the right house. 
Among the Paharias, persons desiring to enter the priesthood 
are required to retire for some days to the jungle, and com- 
mune in solitude withthe deity. Before they are confirmed 
in their office they are expected to perform some marvellous 
act, as evidence of having acquired superhuman power. They 
wear their hair uncut while acting as priests. ‘The same tribe 
have also priestesses as well as priests. Some tribes, that 
have in other respects adopted the religion of the Hindus, 
employ the priests of neighbouring unconverted tribes to 
propitiate local deities. The distinction between priests and 
laity among most tribes is so slight that unconsecrated 
persons not unfrequently perform the offices of religion. The 
Juangs, who are among the lowest of all the tribes described, 
employ an old man as priest. Among the Kharrias the head 
of the family presides at offerings to the sun-god in behalf of 
_ the household, but a priest is employed to act for the com- 
munity. The Kols allow certain elders or the heads of 
families to perform the service. Among the Santals the head 
of the family offers the ancestral sacrifices, but other services 
are performed by village priests, who fit themselves for the 
purpose by prayer, fasting, and silent contemplation of some 
god until they are possessed by him. Among the Khonds a 
regular priest always officiated at the festivals in honour of the 
