CH. XIV AN ALFtJB OATH 349 



false witnesses. If there is one here, let hitn be taken within 

 nine days from now and be used as food for the wailan. 

 One ! two ! three ! four ! five ! six ! seven ! eight ! nine ! ' 



After this long address the priests stepped over the 

 crossed swords three times, followed by the witness and his 

 two friends. 



This was to me the most interesting part of the cere- 

 mony, for it was the only part of it I could understand. 

 The priests and the two assisting friends stepped across the 

 swords with dignity and ease, but the poor witness showed 

 by every movement that he was passing through a terrible 

 ordeal. 



The first time he went with a certain amount of 

 confidence, though he stepped high and carefully, and 

 was evidently very much relieved when he was safely 

 over. In Uke manner the second time, but the third time 

 it required all his courage to bring him to the scratch. 

 He chattered volubly and defiantly, he danced about from 

 one foot to the other, and then at last with a terrific 

 rush he cleared the swords at a bound. When he was 

 safely over for the third time he raised a yell of triumph, 

 shook his fists in the air, and laughed and shouted with 

 delight. 



After this the gun was discharged in the air, and one 

 of the priests said, ' The waUan Muntuuntu has heard the 

 shot and has looked upon the witness.' 



The piece of white linen was then taken by the priests 

 as payment for their services, and the ceremony concluded. 



This ' ordeal-oath,' as it may be called, is of great 

 interest to us, in the consideration of the development 

 of our own modern oaths and ordeals. Oaths remain, it is 

 true, in general use in the form of mere rudimentary, or, 

 to use a more explicit word, vestigial formalities. Ordeals, 

 on the other hand, survive only in remote country districts, 



