46 ON THE INHABITANTS OF THE 



pray : after which a buffalo is sacrificed, and the 

 same forms observed as described in the buffalo-fes- 

 tival: it continues as long as the provisions which 

 v/ere presented by the several Mdungies last. The 

 danger of a scarcity is thus supposed to be averted, 

 and that their crops will flourish. 



When a Maungy has established a village, should 

 a tiger infest it, or the small-pox, or any plague 

 prove fatal to its inhabitants, it is supposed that 

 Ruxey Gosaih is desirous of having a shrine raised. 

 The Satane is resorted to, to confirm the supposition, 

 and the Demauno consulted. On both agreeing, 

 these steps are sufficient to stop the ravages of any 

 beast of prey, and to avert any further fatality from 

 the small-pox. Thus relieved, the Maungy calls the 

 Demauno to get ruxey (a sacred black stone) for 

 him ; in compliance with which the Demauno has a 

 vision, in which the Deity appears to him, and in- 

 forms him where the god Ruxey is to be found, 

 directs him to the spot, and desires him to raise him 

 with his own hancjs, and to present him to the 

 Maungy in the morning. The Demauno gets a branch 

 of the seethe (a tree peculiar to the hills) ; benjamin 

 is burned before the Maungy 's door, which he smells, 

 and proceeds, followed by some men to the spot 

 where Ruxey is to be found; having smelt the 

 godhead, he directs the persons who were in at- 

 tendance to dig for him j to facilitate their work, 

 water is thrown, to soften the earth; and when 

 Ruxey is discovered, the Demauno takes him up, 

 and carries him to the Maungy, who immediately 



sets 



