HILLS NEAR RA'JAMAHALL. 4J 



his predictions would failj or, should he marry more 

 than one wife at a time, the people would have no 

 faith in him. Having thus passed his novitiate, and 

 obtained the reputation of a good Demawio, he is in^ 

 vited by his chief to the buffalo-festival, who puts 

 round his neck a red silk thread, with five cowries 

 strung on it, and binds a turban on his head, be- 

 seeching God that he may have power of restoring 

 health to the sick, exorcising such as are possessed 

 of devils, and that all his predictions may prove 

 true. In this manner he is ordained, and officiates 

 at the festival. A Dcmauno drinks of the reeking 

 blood of all offerings sacrificed while he is present. 

 He must never eat beef, or dk<ri } nor drink milk; 

 for, in doing so, his prophecies would fail. There is 

 no fixed number of Dcmaunos for the duty of a 

 village : some have several, while others have none. 

 The Maungy of every village sacrifices a buffalo in 

 either the month of Mcrng, or Phagun y annually: he 

 fixes a day, and desires his vassals to attend, each 

 of whom contributes a portion of grain, oil, or 

 fpirits for the festival : provisions being collected on 

 the day appointed, the Maungy directs his followers 

 what to do. Some cook, others go and cut a large 

 branch of the muchnun (or si civ a) tree, which is 

 brought, and planted before the Maungy* door, one 

 of whose family carries out the hindone (a sacred 

 stool, with four feet} and places it under the shade of the 

 ?A'//<;te^-branch, washes it, rubs it with oil, spots it 

 with [sozvndra) red paint, and binds it with a thread 

 qf red d\k; the Maungy, having made his salam 



to 



