Rest Days; A Sociological Study yi 



changes of the moon.'*^ The Hottentots of South Africa have 

 separate names for all the lunar phases.*^ 



A survey of the anthropological evidence appears to indicate, 

 as might indeed be expected, that of the four lunar phases it is 

 particularly the new moon which awakens interest and atten- 

 tion. The first appearance of that luminary in the western sky 

 after sunset is often hailed with various ceremonial observances. 

 Professor Frazer suggests that in many cases such rites have 

 a magical aspect, the new moon, with its promise of growth and 

 increase, being greeted with ceremonies intended to renew and 

 strengthen, by means of sympathetic magic, the life of man.*'^ 

 He cites, among others, two interesting customs found in the New 

 World. The Indians of the Ucayli river in Peru are said to 

 greet the appearance of the new moon with great joy. They 

 make long speeches to her, accompanied with vehement gesticula- 

 tions, imploring her protection and begging that she invigorate 

 their bodies.*^ Certain tribes of southern California, afterwards 

 gathered into the Mission San Juan Capistrano, celebrated the 

 new moon with dances, saying, "As the moon dieth and cometh 

 to life again, so we also having to die, will again live."'*^ An 

 old traveller recites how at the appearance of every new moon 

 the Congo negroes " fall on their knees, or else cry out, standing 

 and clapping their hands, ' So may I renew my life as thou art 

 renewed.' " But if the sky was clouded, they did nothing, con- 

 sidering that the moon had lost its virtue.^'' Of the ]\Iandingoes 



''Dennett, op. cit., 86. 



*^L. Schultze, Aus Namaland itnd Kalahari, Jena, 1907, p. 370. 



"Adonis, Attis, Osiris," 370 sqq. 



'* W. Smythe and F. Lowe, Narrative of a Journey from Lima to Para, 

 London, 1836, p. 230. So the ancient Peruvians, according to Father 

 Acosta, assembled on the first day of the tenth moon "before the rising 

 thereof, and in seeing it they cryed aloiide, carrying torches in their handes 

 and saying, 'Let all harme goe away,' striking one another with their 

 torches" {The Natural and Moral History of the Indies, edited by C. R. 

 Markham, London, 1880, ii. 575 sq.). 



^ Father G. Boscana, " Chinegchinich," in Life in California by an 

 American, New York, 1846, pp. 298 sq. 



'"Merolla, "Voyage to Congo" in Pinkerton's Voyages and Travels, xvi. 

 273- 



71 



