02 REV. M. EELLS, ON THE WORSHIP AND TRAUITIONS OP 



The Saiichvicli Islanders likewise had an ancient tradition 

 of a superintending power.* 



(h) Good Spirits. — Generally these are the practical deities 

 of the heathen, as they trust in them as a protecting indi- 

 vidual or hous^eliold deity more than in the Supreme Being. 

 This is true of the Dyaks of Borneo ; for while they acknow- 

 ledge a Supreme Being, subordinate deities are supposed to 

 watch over the various departments of this world.f 



The original inhabitants of Java had a similar belief, and 

 the number of their patron spirits was innumerable. Their 

 forests, mountains, and caves were peopled by numerous 

 invisible beings of their own creation.:}: 



The ancient inhabitants of Celebes also worshipped local 

 deities, § likewise the Tenimber Islanders of Timor Laut have 

 their little goda,|| the Fijians, too, have many inferior gods, 

 but no idols; they have, however, stones in which they believe 

 spirits to dwell at times ;T and the Tongas believed not only 

 in gods Avhich existed from all eternity, but also i]i inferior 

 deities.** 



In Tahiti every family had its protecting deity which 

 resided in lieaveii,tt <'iiicl they had gods of peace, war, the 

 sea, idiots, and the like, ten in number as gods of the first 

 order, while the lower orders were employed as heralds or 

 messengers between the gods and man.ft 



The New Zealanders agreed with them in this belief of a 

 deity for every family according to Cook and j\Ialte Brun ; 

 the people of the Caroline and Friendly Islands believed in a 

 nmltitude of celestial spirits ;§§ those of Micronesia had a 

 belief in gods, but it Avas oversliadowed by the deification of' 

 their ancestors,|||| and the Saiubv^ich Islanders had a multi- 

 plicity of gods and household deities.lFII 



(c) Evil Sjm^its. — As in America so in these islands, the 



* Javvej' i^iindwich /■■elands, p. 1!). 



t EiicydopiediM Britt., ;irt., " Borneo." 



t Eaci/clopcedia Britt. art., "Java," and Malte Bran's O'eog.^ vol. ii, p. .3i?2. 



§ iVaturalist's Wanderings in Timor Lav.t. 



II Fiji and Fijians., J. Calvert, chap. 7. 



IF Malte Brun's Geog., vol. ii, p. .342. 



** Coral Islands, j). 1 53. 



tt Malte Brun, vol. ii, p. 40G. 



Xt Ellis, Pob/nesian Researches, chap. 13. 



§§ Malte Brim's Geog., ])p. 349, 402. 



III! Enci/dop(ed->a Brit!., art., "Mici'onesia." 



%% Jarves' Sandioich Islands, p. -IJ. 



