£o ON THE INHABITANTS OF THE 



all night, in praise of Chitariah Gosaih, invoking 

 his protection, the musicians, or rather drummers, 

 beating at the same time. Should any person sing a 

 different song, he is lined a fowl, which is sacrificed, 

 and the blood sprinkled over the whole party. During 

 the course of the night, they patrole the village 

 five times, leading a cow with them ; in the morning, 

 the Detnauno, the two preachers and drummers, pro- 

 ceed to Chalnad with the cow. Having finished their 

 prayers, the cow is sacrificed by one of the preachers, 

 in such a manner that the blood may fall on the 

 shrine : a feast is immediately made of the flesh, 

 and all the men who accompanied them from the 

 village, except such as may be disqualified from do- 

 mestic causes, partake of it, On their return to 

 the village, they send notice of their approach, 

 that the two wives of the preachers, between whom 

 the piece of silk was divided, may take off their 

 clothes and ornaments, and tie the silk round their 

 middles, covering them from their waists to their 

 knees : their hair is fastened in a knot on the crown 

 of their heads ; and every part of their body which 

 is exposed, is spotted with a mixture made of tur- 

 meric, powdered, and the heart, or white part, of 

 Indian corn, which is finely ground for that purpose : 

 part of this is also sent to the preachers, that they 

 may be spotted in the same manner, and with it the 

 halves of four mats thus prepared. The two wo- 

 men (the whole village, men, women, and child- 

 ren being assembled to see the procession) set out, 

 one following the other, and taking care not to ad- 

 vance 



