688 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 



the absorbing subject of the origin and relations of religion and magic. I do not 

 know whether I have succeeded in satisfactorily synthesising the results of the 

 inquiries of a generation of students. Nor can I forget that the inquiries now in 

 proo'ress, and those which an unknown future has in store, may ere long change 

 our point of view and suggest fresh and yet unthought-of solutions of the 

 problem.' 



The following Papers and Report were read : — 



1, Notes on the Ethnography of the Ba-Yaka? By T. A. Joyce, M.,A., 



and E. Torday. 



The Ba-Yaka are a tribe inhabiting a district on the Kwango and Inzia Rivers, 

 tributaries of the Kasai, in the Congo Free State. From their culture, which 

 exhibits most of the characteristics distinctive of the primitive West African 

 type, they appear to be closely connected with the tribes on their southern and 

 ■western borders. The men are rather small, but well-built and good-looking. 

 They eat almost any flesh, except that of dogs, but the women are forbidden to 

 eat fowls and eggs. They do not practise cannibalism. Agriculture is conducted 

 by the women. Their crafts comprise weaving, pottery-making, and metallurgy. 

 Stone implements are not found, neither is there any tradition of their use. Huts 

 are rectangular, and the villages are small. Marriage is the result of purchase. 

 Children belong to the village of their mother, to which they are sent as soon as 

 they can walk. The tribe is ruled by a paramount chief, but each village has a 

 petty chief, which office is hereditary. The chief currency is shells. Slavery is 

 universal. The people have numerals up to eleven, and for 100, 1,000, and 10,000. 

 They are fond of music. An interesting musical instrument is the reibtrommel, 

 a very specialised form of instrument which has an extremely limited distribution 

 in Africa. Justice is administered by assemblies, and every crime, except treason, 

 can be compensated for by a money payment. Every adult male is a warrior. 

 The only weapon is the bow and arrow, although imported swords are found. 

 Circumcision is practised. The dead are painted red and buried in a sitting 

 position, clothed, but without weapons. Pots are broken in the grave. The 

 people believe that the soul leaves the bodv at death and visits the living in 

 dreams. In the case of important persons it is believed that the soul enters the 

 body of large animals. 



2. The Aborigines of Sungei Vjong.^ By F. W. Knocker. 



The people discussed in this paper were the wild tribes inhabiting the hills to 

 the north and north-west of the State of Negri Sembilan. Commonly called 

 Orang Bukit (People of the Hills), they assert that they are either connected 

 with Sakai tribes or are of Sakai origin. They call themselves Orang Berlanus 

 or Orang Bersisi. In stature the Orang Bukit are short, but they are well 



' In connection with the questions touched upon in the foregoing address I desire 

 to call special attention to the following works : — 



J. G. Frazer, D.C.L., The Golden Hoxigh, 2nd ed., vol. i. pp. 60-80. London, 1900. 



E. R. Marett, ' Preanimistic Religion,' in Folk-lore, vol. xi. pp. 162-182; 'From 

 Spell to Prayer,' in Folk-lore, vol. xv. pp. 132-165. 



J. N. B. Hewitt, ' Orenda and a Definition of Religion,' in American, An.throj?oloffist, 

 N.S., vol. iv. pp. .S3-46. 



H. Hubert et M. Mauss, ' Esquisse d'une th§orie generals de la Magie,' in Z'Annee 

 Sociologique, vol. vii. Paris, 1904. 



]\I. Mauss, L'Origine des Pouvoirs Magiqiics dans les Societh Australiennes. 

 Paris, 1904. 



L. R. Farnell, D.Litt., The Evolution of Religion. London, 1905. 



T. H. Preuss, ' Der Ursprung der Religion und Kunst,' series of articles in Globus, 

 vols. Ixxxvi., Ixxxvii. (1904, 1905). 



2 To be published in full in Journ. Anthrop. Inst, 



